Match Information
Score: Auburn Montgomery 3, Valdosta State University 0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-22)
Records: AUM (6-1, 4-1 GSC), VSU (2-8, 1-4 GSC)
Location: AUM Athletics Complex – Auburn University at Montgomery
 
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Blazers were unable to come away with a set during its 3-0 loss to Auburn Montgomery in the Gulf South Conference Spring Championship Series but kept it close throughout. Jessie Mooney once again led the Blazers with 16 kills for an astounding .412 hitting percentage, where Tammy Reyes Perez led with 36 assists. VSU finished the day with 43 kills and 18 errors and accounted for four service aces.
 
First Set:
The Warhawks were able to get four of the first five points, starting out with three straight kills, where Caitlin Warnshuis got the Blazers first point. The Blazers closed the early gap, but the Warhawks were able to widen its lead off three straight points, putting it in control early on. Two straight kills off the hand of Warnshuis put the pressure on the Warhawks who called a timeout to try and put an end to any run the Blazers were starting. The timeout fared well for AUM as it was able to get the next point. Three straight points from AUM forced a VSU timeout which it came out of on top with a point, but the Warhawks kept on rolling with three more to extend its lead. The Warhawks found itself two points away from taking the first set, but Kennedy DeLuca smacked a kill to start a Blazer run where it scored five of the next six points, making it a close one at 24-22. The Warhawks were able to take control and get the last point it needed, taking set one 25-22.
 
Second Set:
The Blazers were able to take a slight lead at 2-1 but gave up four straight to the Warhawks to force a timeout. The Blazers came out of the timeout taking three of the next four to cut the deficit to just two, but AUM went on a roll as it recorded six of the next seven points to extend its lead. A Warnshuis kill halted the run, but the Warhawks quickly tacked on three straight points. With the score at 15-7 in favor of the Warhawks, AUM looked to have the game under control. The Blazers had other ideas, as it scored five of the next six off three kills and two attack errors to put it right back in the game. AUM came out of its timeout with a kill, but the Blazers kept on pushing as it tacked on four straight and eight of the next 10 to find itself ahead of AUM 20-19. An attack error put the Blazers up two, but AUM went on to take four straight to retake the lead at 23-21. A kill and two straight aces from Lyara Rosario Hernandez brought up a VSU set point at 24-23, but AUM battled to tie things up at 24. Warnshuis got another kill to bring up its second set point, but AUM was able to record three straight points to take the extended set two 27-25.
 
Third Set:
AUM got off to a quick 3-0 lead, but the Blazers were able to tie things up at 4-4. Three points put AUM up, but the Blazers answered with two of its own to close the gap. AUM went on a small 4-0 run to extend its lead but VSU always had an answer as it scored three straight and four of the next five. During the middle of the set, both teams went back and forth throughout the entirety of the game, with the Warhawks having the slight edge over the Blazers. The Blazers were able to cut the set close at 22-20 after a kill from Warnshuis before the Warhawks could get its 23^rd point. Two straight points for VSU put the pressure on, making it 23-22 in a match clinching set to force an AUM timeout. The Warhawks didn't skip a beat though as it closed out the third set with two straight kills to take the quarterfinal matchup three sets to zero.
 
Inside the Numbers:
Along with Mooney, Warnshuis found herself in the double digits for kills for the second straight day with 11. Mooney led the defensive side of the ball with her 17 digs, followed by Rosario Hernandez and Reyes Perez who recorded 11. As a team, Valdosta State hit at a .202 percent where the Warhawks nearly edged VSU as it finished with a .206 percentage.