COLUMBUS, Ga. – Peach Belt Conference play began for the Augusta University women's volleyball team on Friday night at Columbus State University and the Jaguars prevailed 3-1 in the Lumpkin Center.
The Jaguars (4-2, 1-0 PBC) went up 1-0 to start the match with the Cougars (6-2, 0-1 PBC) on a 25-18 victory.
After a service ace put CSU up 23-21 in set two, Augusta head coach Sharon Quarles called a timeout. The Jags matched Columbus 24-all, but fell 26-24 after back-to-back CSU kills in the extended set. The score was tied 11 times across the two opening sets.
In set three Augusta posted a .205 attacking percentage to CSU's .167 and a .163 to .130 in set four to stay ahead and win the day. They won 25-21 and 25-23 to close out the match.
Columbus State out-killed the Jags 55-46, but AU forced them into 32 errors while only recording 18 of their own. Senior Jordan Bickett shined on the net for Augusta with 14 kills and 10 digs and freshman Jessica Hedrick notched 10 kills in the road victory.
Freshman Sammie Baker's 39 assists anchored the Augusta offense, while senior Cat DeSilvester recorded 21 digs and freshman Kenya Stoke 16. Stokes added three aces and Bickett two.
CSU's Mary McCarty led her team with 21 kills and Megan Frame contributed with 14.
Augusta travels to Montevallo, Ala., to take on the Montevallo Falcons Saturday, Sept. 17 for a 2:00 p.m. PBC match.
On Wednesday, Sept. 21 the Jaguars host a whiteout against rival USC Aiken. All fans are encouraged to wear white to the home match at 7:00 p.m. in Christenberry Fieldhouse. The first 200 AU students will get free pizza from Papa John's Pizza.
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