Jags Volleyball Splits Day One Of USC Aiken Invitational

Jags Volleyball Splits Day One Of USC Aiken Invitational

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AIKEN, S.C. – The Augusta University women's volleyball team commenced play Friday afternoon in one of two non-conference tournaments in Aiken, S.C., this season and beat Anderson 3-2, before falling 3-1 Valdosta State.

 

Hosted by USC Aiken in the Convocation Center, the USC Aiken Invitational featured Augusta, Anderson, Barton, Fayetteville State, Lander, Mount Olive, USC Aiken, and Valdosta State.

 

Augusta moved to 4-3 on the season with a 3-2 win over Anderson (17-25, 25-23, 25-23, 16-25, 15-13) and a loss to VSU (23-25, 15-25, 25-18, 25-1)

 

The Jaguars return to action at the USC Aiken Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9 to take on Fayetteville State at 10:00 a.m. and Barton at 2:00 p.m.

 

Match 1 vs. Anderson

Facing an undefeated Anderson squad to open the event, Augusta dropped set one 25-17 with the Trojans hitting over .400 in the opening set. The Jaguars outhit Anderson .327 to .275 in the second set to take a close 25-23 win to even the match.

 

Augusta trailed 20-14 midway through the third set, but they rallied with Natalia Gouveia and McKenzey Beck on serve to get back into a tie match at 21-all. Augusta went up 24-21 and held off the Trojans 25-23 on a Beck kill to the right side. Anderson led by as much as 10 points in set four to force a fifth set.

 

The final set was tied seven different times and Augusta broke away from a seven-all score by taking the next two points on a block from freshmen Chloe Allen and Madeline Weiss and an ace from Rachel Hill. The Jags endured the marathon match and 3-2 with a 15-13 set-five final.

 

Beck had 25 assists and 17 kills, Savanna Gonzales and Jessica Hedrick each had 12 kills, and freshman Chloe Allen put up 10 kills and three aces. Sophomore setter Payton Murchie provided 25 assists and 12 digs in the win.

 

Match 2 vs. Valdosta State

 

Hedrick delivered the match-opening kill for the Jags as the team cruised to a 7-2 lead, resulting in a Valdosta State timeout. Set one was even until the final points, when VSU survived for a 25-23 victory. The Jags suffered a 25-15 loss in the second set, but bounced back to win 25-18. VSU held off the Jags with ease in the final set 25-15. Beck had her second triple-double in three matches, with 17 assists and 10 kills and digs for AU.

 

Freshman Holland Martin added three aces and 15 digs and Gonzales chipped in 10 kills.

 

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