CHARLESTON, S.C. – Senior Mellanie King had a career day as the The Citadel overcame an 0-2 deficit for the second-straight match to defeat UNCG, 3-2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-14, 25-14, 15-10), Sunday afternoon inside MicAlister Field House.
 
King finished the night with a career-high 22 kills on her way to becoming just the sixth Bulldog to eclipse the 1,000 kill mark in her career.
 
Score: The Citadel 3, UNCG 2
Records: UNCG (2-12, 2-11), The Citadel (7-11, 5-8)
Location: McAlister Field House (Charleston, South Carolina)
 
How it Happened

• The Spartans got off to a quick start as they scored the first three points of the set. Mellanie King was able to put an end to the run with her first kill of the match.
• A kill from Sharlissa de Jesus and an error by UNCG allowed the Bulldogs to pull within one.
• The Spartans took advantage of unforced errors from the Bulldogs to open eight-point lead late in the set.
• The Citadel would get kills late from King and de Jesus, but the Spartans took the opening set 25-17.
• The second set start with the teams exchanging the first 12 points.
• Kills from King and Maddy Cardenas helped the Bulldogs to a 6-3 run and take a 12-9 lead.
• The Spartans responded to come back to tie the set and take a lead on a kill from Haven McPeek.
• UNCG seized the momentum to set up set point. Before the set could end, King delivered her seventh kill of the match for the 1,000^th of her career.
• The Bulldogs came out swinging in the third set, riding the right arms of King and de Jesus.
• The duo combined for 15 of the 16 kills during the set.
• King led the way with eight kills, while de Jesus added seven.
• The Bulldogs were able to open a double-digit lead behind four-straight kills from King.
• The Citadel carried the momentum into the fourth set and opened a seven-point lead behind back-to-back aces from de Jesus.
• UNCG made a run to pull within four points, but Faith Justice served out the final six points of the set. de Jesus closed out the set with her 18^th kill of the match.
• The fifth set started with the Bulldogs controlling the net. A block from de Jesus and Gina Delancey opened a 5-1 lead and forced a Spartan timeout.
• UNCG came out of the timeout and pulled within one point, but the Bulldogs got kills from Delancey, de Jesus and Maddy Cardenas to open the lead to 11-6.
• King would add to her total with two more kills and de Jesus set up match point with her 20^th of the match.
• The match ended when Delancey and Makaya Middleton combined for the block.

 
Inside the Box Score

• The victory improved the Bulldogs to 5-8 in Southern Conference action. The five wins sets a new program record for conference wins in a season.
• The match also marked just the second time in program history that the Bulldogs overcame an 0-2 deficit to win. The first time happened in their last match at ETSU last Monday.
• Mellanie King finished with a career-high 22 kills. She became the sixth player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-kill plateau.
• King added a team-high 17 digs for her 10^th double-double of the season.
• Sharlissa de Jesus added 20 kills, 15 digs, four service aces, one block solo and three block assists.
• She enters Monday's match just two kills away from becoming the school's all-time leader in career kills.
• Sunday's match marked just the second time in program history that two players recorded 20 kills in the same match.
• The previous time in happened was on Feb. 8 when de Jesus had 27 kills and King 20.
• Maddy Cardenas finished with seven kills out of the middle.
• Fellow middle blocker Gina Delancey had two kills to go along with her seven blocks.
• Libero Kenzie Kellerman finished with 16 digs and Makaya Middleton added 15.
• Amie Greene handed out 48 assists. She added two kills and two block assists.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs play their final home match of the season on Monday as they face UNCG at 5 p.m.