VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State volleyball team picked up their second win in as many days with a thrilling 3-2 (23-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-17, 15-12) Gulf South Conference road win against the Warhawks of Auburn Montgomery on Saturday in Montgomery, Ala.
 
With their backs against the wall and a 2-0 deficit after losses in each of the first two sets, the Blazers faced the poor end of match point after the Warhawks took a 24-23 lead in the third. Valdosta State showed grit, however, and Kayla Widera teamed up with Sara Dandridge to sandwich a Widera ace with a pair of kills for three straight points and a come-from-behind 26-24 set victory.
 
The Blazers rode the momentum into the fourth frame, and used a 13-5 run during the second half of the set to claim a 25-17 win and tie the match at 2-2.
 
In the deciding set, VSU was forced to overcome yet another deficit, as the team fell behind 8-5. Valdosta State showed composure, however, and outscored AUM 10-4 down the stretch to put the finishing touches on the match win.
 
Middle blocker Kayla Widera provided the spark for VSU on the day with a team-high 12 kills and a .320 hitting effort. Furthermore, the sophomore added three block assists and two solo blocks to lead the Blazers to a total of nine blocks on the afternoon.
 
Sydney Chick highlighted the defensive effort with 31 digs in the contest. The effort marked the second straight weekend in which the senior Libero recorded 30-plus digs in a match.
 
With the win, Valdosta State improved to 12-15 overall and 6-8 in the conference. Meanwhile, AUM saw their record fall to 9-19 overall and 1-13 in conference play.
 
Next up for Valdosta State, it's a much-welcomed return trip home, as the Blazers host Shorter for a 7:00 p.m. matchup on Thursday, November 9^th. Live coverage of the event will be available via links provided at www.vstateblazers.com.