CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Jaguar Volleyball team responded from a season-opening loss to Lenoir-Rhyne 3-1, to prevail over Limestone in five sets in the first day of the Queens Invitational in the Levine Center at Queens University on Friday night.
The Jaguars won their first set of 2014 when they opened with the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne. Junior-transfer setter Alyssa Latham set up senior Kristen Koch for the first point of the day. GRU took the opening set 25-19, but couldn't hold off the Bears in the next three sets despite forcing five lead changes in set three.
Koch's 17 kills and five digs paced the Jags while freshman Kali Boatwright added 11 digs in her Jaguar debut. Latham, also making her first appearance with GRU, provided a match-high 30 assists with 12 digs. Lenoir-Rhyne outhit the Jaguars .166 to .159 and posted three more blocks at the net.
GRU found success in the opening set again, when they took a 4-0 lead over Limestone in the second match on Friday. After numerous score ties throughout the opening set, the Saints evened things at 20-all. The Jags got back-to-back Kotch kills to take a two-point lead and eventually took the set. Both teams traded sets until the fifth and final deciding meeting where GRU outlasted Limestone by two points for an 18-16 win.
Boatwright posted her first double-double of the season, with 17 kills and 20 digs. Koch added 15 kills and eight digs, while Latham had 21 assists and Cat Desilvester 22 digs.
The Jaguars play another double-header to conclude the Queens Invitational Sept. 6 – starting with a 10:30 a.m. match against Catawba and ending with a 3:00 p.m. contest with Queens.
The Jaguars debut at home in Christenberry Fieldhouse from Sept. 12-13 at the GRU Augusta Invitational, a five-team tournament where the Jags will host Emmanuel (7:30 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 12, and Carson-Newman (2:00 p.m.) and Paine (6:00 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 13. The Jaguars will also host Paine vs. UNC Pembroke (5:00 p.m.) on Sept. 12, and Emmanuel vs. Paine (10:00 a.m.), Carson-Newman vs. UNC Pembroke (12:00 p.m.) and Emmanuel vs. UNC Pembroke (4:00 p.m.) on Sept. 13.