AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Jaguars battled back from a 2-0 deficit to force a fourth set with Flagler on Sunday afternoon, but fell to the Saints 3-1 in a Peach Belt Conference contest in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
GRU Augusta (1-11, 0-6 PBC) cruised to a 7-2 start in set one, but the Saints (10-5, 6-2 PBC) overturned the deficit and eventually took a 9-7 lead on a block assist from Jenea Reddick and Ashley Cheewah. Neither team's offense fared well, but the Saints' outlasted GRU's in set one, posting a .146 hitting percentage to the Jags' .000 to win 25-22.
The Jags combined for 20 kills with Kristen Koch's seven leading the team in set two. The Saints stood behind senior Abby Meyers as her eight kills paced Flagler to a 25-23 set-two victory. The Jaguars nabbed the lead first in set three and never let go, forcing a fourth set with a 25-17 win. Koch's nine kills and Paige Tuttle's seven paced the Jags' offense in the win. Chandler Mass notched 22 assists and six digs while Koch, Leslye Barnette and McKenna Heath each had five digs.
GRU Augusta Head Coach Sharon Bonaventure called a timeout down 14-8 in the fourth set after Flagler recorded three straight points. The Saints kept the lead for the remainder of the fourth and final set, beating the Jags 3-1. Flagler outhit the Jags .133 to .083 and had nine service aces to GRU's six.
Koch led the Jags on the day with 12 kills while Kailla Baptiste was second with nine. Junior transfer Chandler Mass notched 31 assists and libero Maggie Darling recorded 26 assists. Flagler's Abby Meyer's had a match-leading 13 kills, while Amelia Morgan posted 18 assists and Caitlyn Kovach 32.
The Jags host Limestone on Tuesday, Oct. 1 for a non-conference contest at 7:00 p.m. in the CFH.