VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State volleyball team continues GSC play this week, playing host to Shorter on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m., inside The Complex. The Blazers then make their final road trip of the season to Christian Brothers on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET and at Union on Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. ET.
The Blazers enter the week with a 10-17 record and a 4-7 mark in the Gulf South Conference, and are coming off two huge wins at home this past week. VSU swept visiting Alabama Huntsville on Oct. 21, 3-0, and defeated Montevallo on Oct. 22, 3-1.
VSU begins the week on Tuesday against Shorter for the Halloween Match. Fans are encouraged to wear a Halloween costume, as the fan with the best costume will walk away with a VSU volleyball sweatshirt.
On the year, the Blazers are hitting .144 and have recorded 1,054 kills, a conference-high 218 aces, 1,497 digs and a conference-high 207 blocks. The team also leads the conference in aces per set with 2.22. Sophomore Lyara Rosario continues to lead the GSC in service aces with 59, good for fourth nationally, while sophomore Christina Pettigrew leads the conference in blocks and blocks per set with 105 and 1.09, respectively. Sophomore Jojo Smith leads the Blazer offense with 268 kills on the year while sophomore Mackenzie Murray has 181 kills. On defense, Rosario leads the team with 383 digs while freshman Ava Young has 71 blocks at the net behind Pettigrew.
The Hawks enter the week with a 13-14 record and a 6-5 mark in conference play. Shorter is coming off a sweep of West Alabama on Oct. 21 and a 3-0 loss to Mississippi College on Oct. 22. The team comes to TitleTown having won the past four meetings between the two teams including a 3-0 decision on Oct. 1 earlier in the season in Rome, Ga.
The Hawks are hitting .169 on the year and have recorded 1,107 kills, 194 aces, 1,1446 digs and 178 blocks. Lacee Glover leads the offense with 212 kills on the season while Madison Sprosty has 388 digs and Carrington Terrell has a team-high 86 blocks at the net.
For the Buccaneers, the team enters the week with a 3-17 record and a 2-9 mark in the GSC and will take on Union on Tuesday before hosting Valdosta State on Friday. The Bucs are coming off a 3-0 loss to No. 14 West Florida on Oct. 22, and a narrow 3-2 loss to Auburn Montgomery on Oct. 21. VSU has won three of the last four games with CBU, including a 3-0 win at home on Sept. 24 in Valdosta.
The Bucs are hitting .101 on the year and have 701 kills, 101 aces, 1,052 digs and 85 blocks. Maddi Rowley leads the offense with 195 kills while Kimmy Hammond has a team-high 248 digs on defense and Calah Jackson has 47 blocks at the net.
Union enters the week third in the GSC standings and has a 16-9 record and a 9-2 mark in the GSC. The Bulldogs, who have won three of the past four games against VSU, will play host to CBU and West Georgia prior to hosting the Blazers on Saturday. The team is hitting .217 on the year and has 1,074 kills, 176 aces, 1,370 digs and 176 blocks. Individually, Emily Grace Calhoon leads the offense with 252 kills while Sydney Sample has 363 digs on defense and Sidney Hegg has 70 blocks at the net.
Following Union, the Blazers will return to the Complex for the final two regular-season home matches against Auburn Montgomery on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. and West Georgia on Nov. 4 at 6 p.m.
