No. 3 Tampa Rolls North Alabama In Region Crossover

LAKELAND, Fla. - The third-ranked University of Tampa Spartans volleyball team needed just 53 minutes to dispose of the University of North Alabama Lions, winning 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-15) to take the opening match in the South Region Crossover. Tampa improves its record to 16-3 while the Lions drop to 13-7 on the season.

In the first set, Tampa turned an 8-5 lead into an 18-5 advantage as it went on to win by 11 points. Kaleigh Cunningham led the way with four kills while Sam Macks, Eva Dupay, and Melissa Vanderhall each tallied three. UT committed just three attack errors and hit a cool .382 for the game.

Tampa then hit a blistering .448 in the second frame on the way to a 25-9 win marking the largest margin of victory on the season. Cunningham contributed with six of UT's 15 kills in the set as Macks and Dupay combined for six more on nine swings.

The Spartans held the lead throughout the final set, winning 25-15 to complete the sweep. Vanderhall turned in four kills as six different Spartans recorded at least one kill in the frame.

Cunningham finished with a match-best 12 kills and added seven digs in the winning effort. Vanderhall was a kill shy of earning a double-double, posting nine kills along with 11 digs and a service ace. Macks registered eight more kills at a .500 clip, and Meghan Sherman handed out 30 assists to help UT finished with a .369 hitting percentage in the contest.

Tampa's defense limited the Lions to a .000 attack percentage in the match for the second time this season, doing so back on Sept. 18 in Florence, Ala. Julie Howlett set the pace with 15 digs and Cunningham put up two solo blocks.

The Spartans wrap up the weekend with two games on Saturday against West Florida at 11 a.m. and West Alabama at 6 p.m. Both contests will be hosted Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla. Live stats will be available through www.tampaspartans.com.

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