NEWARK, DE (UNCW) — Nicole Lott, Kristen Powell and Meredith Peacock combined for 35 kills and Lindsay Hartmann held match-high honors with 28 digs as UNCW claimed its first-ever share of the Colonial Athletic Association regular season title with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21) sweep at Delaware on Sunday.
The Seahawks, who will be the third-seed in the CAA tournament, conclude the regular season with a 21-7 record overall and 12-4 in the CAA. The Blue Hens dropped to 12-17 and 4-12.
“The team was able to take care of business today and I felt we were consistent offensively from set to set,” said UNCW Head Coach Amy Bambenek. “(Lindsay) Hartmann played great defense and I also felt the whole team hustled and played with high energy.”
Powell posted her seventh double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs while Lott and Peacock added 14 and 10 kills, respectively, as UNCW outhit the Blue Hens, .232-.137.
Hartmann, whose season-high was 29, held match-high honors as the Seahawks out dug UD, 69-60. UNCW also won the battle at the net, out blocking UD, 7-4 as Peacock led the way with five total blocks.
Alyssa Desjardin had a match-high 21 assists and added nine for UNCW while Maddy Kline added 11 digs and five kills.
Autumn Jenkins equaled Lott for match-high honors with 14 kills for UD. Libero Ariel Shonk collected 19 digs.
“We still have some fine-tuning to do before the CAA tournament, but today we celebrate a historic regular season for Seahawk Volleyball,” added Bambenek.
Up next: The Seahawks will be the third seed in next week’s CAA Championship tournament hosted in Harrisonburg by top-seed James Madison. UNCW will play sixth-seed William & Mary in an opening round match on Friday.
How it happened: UNCW controlled from the outset behind solid hitting, posting averages of .244, .217 and .237 in the three set wins. Lott finished with just two hitting errors and 14 kills in her 38 attacks.
Notes: The Seahawks claimed a share of first-place in the regular season for the first time in program history … Their highest previous finish was second in 1988 … Hartmann finished the regular season with a career-high 418 digs … UNCW has won 21 matches in consecutive seasons … 12 wins in conference play are a program record … Desjardins moved into sixth in career assists (1,854) on UNCW’s all-time list … UNCW has won six of its last seven matches against Delaware.