BLACKSBURG, Va. –– Appalachian State University volleyball earned its first victory of the 2016 season with a straight-set sweep (25-15, 25-11, 25-22) of Norfolk State on Saturday morning.

The Mountaineers (1-1) were led again by freshman Emma Longley who recorded a team-high 12 kills and totaled an impressive .524 hitting percentage along the way. Longley also collected six digs in the effort.

Ashlyn Brown once again drove the Mountaineers' bus on offense with a 30-assist effort, while also tallying six digs and one kill.

In total, six Mountaineers recorded kills in the match, including three with at least six. Alana Shoff finished with eight, while Cassidy Stephenson tallied seven and Tierney Flaherty notched six. Olivia Loeffler led with 10 digs.

In the opening set, the Mountaineers cruised to a 25-15 win. After getting out to a 9-6 lead, App State went on a 9-4 run forcing the Spartans into their second timeout. Kills from Longley, Stephenson, Jenna Talbert and Shoff would seal the set.

The second set would begin much like the first set ended. Appalachian jumped out to an 18-8 lead - burning through two more Spartan timeouts. A 7-3 run capped a dominating set for the Apps. 

The Spartans (0-3) came out with their strongest set of the match in the third - building a 12-10 lead midway through. The Apps would tie it twice at 12-12 and then at 13-13 before a kill from Stephenson put them up 14-13.

The score would be tied two more times before Appalachian would build a lead they would not relinquish. Up 21-20 following a Mountaineer timeout, App State would use three Spartan errors and a kills from Longley to clinch the set and the match.

Appalachian State will play once more this weekend with a tournament finale against Siena at 5 p.m. this evening.