VALDOSTA, Ga. - Just minutes after the 2014 seniors were recognized in front of a home crowd at The Complex, the Valdosta State volleyball team proceeded to roll past the Tigers of West Alabama with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-17) win on Saturday afternoon in Gulf South Conference volleyball action.
The start was a slow one for the Blazers, but Valdosta State held on in the first frame and cruised through the second and third to improve their record to 21-7 overall, 16-4 in GSC play. The Tigers saw their season come to an end following the contest and ended their campaign with a 9-21 overall record and a 7-13 record against league opponents.
"It was such a fun experience to be able to have that comfort of playing on our home court on senior day, and we didn't disappoint," said senior
Ashley Lala following the match. "It was a little shaky at the beginning, but we pulled through. To win in three today and end our regular season like that was a great feeling."
Lala finished the contest with a team high 15 digs, while
Jenna Kirkwood put together one of her best offensive outings of the season. The senior outside hitter blasted 21 kills on the day with just two errors in 42 attempts for a .452 hitting percentage. In addition, Kirkwood picked up 11 digs on defense to post her seventh double-double of the year.
Collectively, the Blazers swung for .228 on offense and accumulated 16 total blocks against just eight for the Tigers. The Valdosta State defense, led by
Kelsey Hedman with five blocks, held UWA to a hitting percentage of just .161 on the afternoon.
Saturday's victory, which marked the 40th of Head Coach
Mike Swan's career at VSU, solidified the Blazers' opportunity to host the first round of the 2014 GSC Playoffs on their home floor at The Complex. The postseason contest in Valdosta will be a first for the VSU volleyball program, and with a home record of 13-0 this season, it is a game the Blazers are very much looking forward to.
"Getting to host on Tuesday is such a cool opportunity for us since it's something we've never done here before in the playoffs," added Lala. "We're just so amped, and the fact that we're going into it undefeated at home just makes the whole thing even better and more exciting."
The opening round of the GSC Tournament on Tuesday, November 11, will most likely pit the Blazers against the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, who represent the No. 6 seed in the standings. The match is slated for a 6:00 p.m. start, and Blazer Athletics has dubbed the match as "Pack the 'Plex" night, where the program hopes to set a new attendance record for Valdosta State volleyball. For more information regarding the postseason as it becomes available, stay tuned to www.vstateblazers.com.
