GAME ONE
 
Match Information
Score: Montevallo 3, Valdosta State University 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-22)
Records: UM (6-0, 1-0 GSC), VSU (0-3, 0-1 GSC)
Location: The Complex – Valdosta State University
 
VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Blazers fell short during its first Gulf South Conference matchups during a multi-team event, dropping matches to Montevallo and Auburn Montgomery. Jessie Mooney led the Blazers on the day with 18 kills during her six sets with Tammy Reyes Perez as the leading setter with 56 assists. VSU finished the day with 64 kills and 45 errors along with eight service aces.
 
First Set:
The Falcons took the first two points of the match and didn't look back as it controlled the lead throughout the entire first set. Olivia Piazza got the Blazers first conference point in over a year off a kill set up by Reyes Perez. The Falcons got a point of its own, but Caitlin Warnshuis was able to bring it back to a one-point set after she smacked one down to the court. It wasn't long before the Falcons took control though as it went on a big 16-6 run to give it a commanding 19-9 lead. VSU didn't quit though as the Blazers played a near perfect set for the following 11 points as it clawed back from its deficit to only be down by three as the scoreboard read 21-18. Kennedy DeLuca went on a four-serve streak and added two kills during that time to aid the Blazer comeback. Its comeback came up just short though as the Falcons took the next four points to take set one 25-18.
 
Second Set:
The Blazers were down early in its second set where the Falcons forced a VSU timeout after five straight points. The timeout fared well for the Blazers as it took control and got its first point of the set from Warnshuis. The Falcons kept up the pressure as it scored the next three points to put the Blazer deficit to seven. DeLuca made the set the closest it got at 9-5 off a kill but the Falcons rolled, taking control of the set and scoring 11 of the next 15 points. Now in a similar position as the set previous, the Blazers looked to make a big comeback down 20-9. A Falcon attack error looked to be the light the Blazers needed but the Falcons came up with a kill to put the deficit to 11 once again. Two straight attack errors from Montevallo put its lead to single digits but it was too much for the Blazers. The Blazers accounted for one more kill and a pair of UM attack errors but came up short in set two 25-15.
 
Third Set:
Mooney switched the script and scored the first point of the set for the first time during the match. The Falcons answered though with six quick points before the Blazers tacked on one more. After a VSU attack error, the Falcons looked to gain momentum up 7-2. The Blazers had other ideas in mind as it rallied back and scored six unanswered to give it its first lead of the match after a Falcon attack error. The Falcons broke the run with a kill, but the Blazers were dialed in as Keelyn Willians scored a pair of points with a Warnshuis kill added in between to give it a three-point advantage. Both teams battled during the back half of the set where it saw eight ties and seven lead changes. Montevallo took a two-point advantage at 16-14 but the Blazers scored three quick points to regain its lead. VSU looked in control after it broke a 20-20 tie with two straight points to sit at 22, looking for its first conference set win. Montevallo came right back though and took control as it scored the next five points to sweep the match.
 
Inside the Numbers:
The Blazers finished with 28 kills and just 26 errors. VSU finished with two aces coming from Mooney and Lyara Rosario Hernandez. As a team, Valdosta State hit at a .018 percent where the Falcons edged VSU as it finished with a .212 percentage. Reyes Perez led the team in digs with 10 as the Blazers defense totaled 49.
 
GAME TWO
 
Match Information
Score: Auburn Montgomery 3, Valdosta State University 0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-19)
Records: AUM (3-0, 2-0 GSC), VSU (0-4, 0-2 GSC)
Location: The Complex – Valdosta State University
 
First Set:
Warnshuis got the scoring started for the Blazers with a kill to put VSU on the board early. After a pair of points by AUM to put the Blazers down 5-2, the Blazers came back quickly with two attack errors and a kill from Zoey Chilcote. The Blazers couldn't break the tie as the Warhawks answered to put itself back ahead. AUM took slight control of the game, going up by 16-9, but the Blazers proceeded to go on a dominant 8-1 run to tie the game up late. Now tied, both teams felt the pressure as well as energy as there were four ties and four lead changes during that time. AUM seemed to be going on a run, up 21-19, but a Chilcote kill, and a Mooney ace brought the game knotted at 21. AUM had a 24-23 set point, but DeLuca came up huge with a kill to tie things up at 24. The Blazers couldn't keep up though as AUM scored the final two points to take the first set 26-24.
 
Second Set:
The Blazers gained momentum from the first set and got up to a quick 7-3 lead before the Warhawks came back and eventually tied the game at 10 a piece. The Blazers were able to pull away with four straight points and five out of the next six, but AUM answered and fought hard to tie the game at 17. The Warhawks gained momentum from its run to go ahead for the first time in the set at 18-17 and added another point to put it up by two. A strong kill by Mooney followed by DeLuca put the teams at a stalemate once again. The Warhawks scored the following serve but committed an error to make it a tie game late into the set. Four straight points gave AUM a 24-20 advantage, but the Blazers didn't count itself out. A kill from Warnshuis, followed by an attack error and service ace by Williams, made it an intense 24-23. The Warhawks took control from there and secured its last point to take set two 25-23.
 
Third Set:
Warnshuis got the Blazers on the board first but three quick ones from AUM put the Blazers down early. A game that would go back and forth for most of the match, the Blazers answered every point and tied the game nine separate times through 15-15 but was only able to gain a lead once early on. A kill at 15-15 put the Warhawks up and rolled from there, scoring four straight points to give itself a cushion. The closest the Blazers would come to the lead was at 19-16, but the Warhawks went on to score six of the next nine points to secure the match win three sets to zero.
 
Inside the Numbers:
The Blazers finished with 36 kills and only 19 errors. VSU edged AUM with six aces compared to the Warhawks five. As a team, Valdosta State hit at a .155 percent where the Warhawks finished with .252 off 43 kills and 15 errors. Mooney led the team with 12 kills as Rosario Hernandez led in digs with 10.