The Lee volleyball team needed a spark and that's just what a large and loud student crowd provided as the Lady Flames powered past Arkansas Monticello, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21)Â on Friday evening to earn their first win of the 2018 season in the final match of day one of the Holiday Inn Express Classic.
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Sartori provided a powerful punch with 19 kills on a .395 hitting percentage while adding 15 digs. Allie Koepfer followed with eight slams and 13 digs. Hanna Matthews set the offense up with 32 assists.
 Alex Reuter and Mary Katherine Givhan played flawless volleyball from the middle position. The two middle blockers combined for 14 total kills (seven each), 30 total attacks with no errors for a .467 hitting percentage. Reuter was also credited with three total blocks in the second match.
Senior Libero MaKayla Beebe, fresh off being named GSC Defender of the Week, led all players with 18 digs and recorded 52 over Friday's two matches as she darted around the court to keep the Cotton Blossom attack at bay.
"We came out really fired up to get a win and the crowd's support was a huge help," said Givhan. "We executed well and our setters did a good job putting us in position to be successful."
After struggling with unforced errors in a loss earlier in the day to Arkansas Tech the Lady Flames regrouped and committed just seven errors over three sets while registering 45 kills.
The Cotton Blossoms couldn't get out of their own way as they were guilty of 20 errors while settling for 32 kills on the night.
MarKayla Dickie led the visitors with 10 kills while Shayna Daniels posted a double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs.
"We obviously needed a win after a tough first couple of matches so I was very pleased with how the girls responded tonight in front a great home crowd," said head coach Andrea Hudson. "Our middles were outstanding today and it just seemed like whenever we were able to get them the ball in the right spot they delivered."
The win moves Lee to 1-5 on the young season while the loss drops Monticello to 1-6.
The Lady Flames will wrap up the Holiday Inn Express Classic on Saturday as they host No. 11 Palm Beach Atlantic at 1:30 p.m. The Sailfish will open Saturday's action at 9 a.m. in a showdown with Arkansas Tech as both clubs went 2-0 on Friday. Lee fell to Palm Beach Atlantic, 3-1 last weekend in Colorado.
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