VALDOSTA, Ga. – On "Spooky Game" night at The Complex, the Valdosta State volleyball team posted a 3-0 victory over visiting Shorter to split the season series with the Hawks. VSU won 25-17, 25-14, 25-20 and won its third-straight match and also improved to 11-17 overall and 5-7 in Gulf South Conference play, while Shorter fell to 13-15 and 6-6 in league play.
The Blazers kept their hopes of qualifying for the GSC Tournament alive with one of their best outings of the season as VSU hit .277 with 42 kills in 101 swings and 14 errors. Sophomore Mackenzie Murray led the team with 11 kills in 27 swings with two solo blocks to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Match honors, while sophomore Jojo Smith added ten kills in 24 swings with one solo block and one assisted block, along with four digs. Senior Olivia Piazza led the team with 12 digs, while sophomore Giulia Dias added ten digs along with 18 assists as the setter.
Shorter hit .000 for the match with 21 kills and 21 errors in 94 attempts. The Hawks were led by six kills from both Taylor Reese-Howell and Annie Veldhuis.
To go with the Halloween theme, all fans were encouraged to wear costumes and one lucky fan with the best costume won a VSU volleyball sweatshirt.
Valdosta State 25, Shorter 17 (Set One)
In front of the home crowd, the Blazers came out firing on all cylinders as the red and black scored the first three points of the match and then used a 5-1 run to break a 5-5 tie for a 10-6 lead and a timeout by the Hawks. Out of the break, VSU continued the strong start with a 6-2 spurt for a 16-8 lead and another timeout by the visitors. To that point, Murray had three kills as did graduate student Mallory Roney to spark the Blazers' early lead. SU answered with three-straight points, but a pair of errors on the Hawks, pushed the Blazer advantage to seven at 18-11. After a mini run by the Hawks and Blazer timeout, Roney stopped the bleeding with a kill for a 19-14 lead. Shorter pulled within 20-17, but three Blazer kills and two aces from sophomore Ramsey Marshall ended the first set, 25-17 for the Blazers. VSU hit .250 for the first set with 16 kills, while Shorter hit .088 with seven kills.
Valdosta State 25, Shorter 14 (Set Two)
The Blazers broke a 3-3 tie with a kill from sophomore Jojo Smith, sparking a blistering 14-4 run for a 17-7 lead, including an 8-0 run and a timeout by the Hawks. A healthy combination of kills by the Blazers and a few miscues on the Hawks highlighted the run for VSU. A kill from Roney and an error by Shorter gave VSU a 20-10 lead. VSU the closed the set scoring six of the final ten points capped on a kill from Murray for a 25-14 victory and a 2-0 lead. To that point, Murray had nine kills, while Roney had six flushes and Dias led the way with seven digs. VSU hit .538 for the second set with 15 kills in 26 swings and just one error, while Short hit -.115 with five kills and eight errors in 26 swings. Through the two sets, VSU had 31 kills in 66 swings (.364) and seven errors, while SU had 12 kills in 60 swings (.000) with 12 errors.
Valdosta State 25 Shorter 20 (Set Three)
The Hawks began the third set with the momentum and a 3-0 lead, but the home team wouldn't be denied, however, as VSU responded with a 15-5 run for an 15-8 advantage as Marshall had six consecutive serves during the spurt. A kill from SU's Emily Crocker and back-to-back errors on the Blazers pulled SU within 16-13 and a Blazer timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Blazers scored four of the next five points for a 20-14 lead. Roney came up with her eighth kill of the match for a 21-16 lead and two errors on the Hawks followed for a 23-16 Blazer lead. A kill from Roney gave VSU match point at 24-18. The Hawks staved off two match points, but an emphatic kill from Smith gave VSU the victory, 25-20 and the sweep. VSU hit .114 in the third set with 11 kills and seven errors in 35 attempts, while Shorter hit .000 with nine kills in 34 swings and nine errors.
The Blazers return to the road at Christian Brothers on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET, and then on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. ET at Union. The Blazers then return home to conclude the regular season on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. versus Auburn Montgomery and Friday, Nov. 4 against rival West Georgia for the Red Clay Rivalry Series.
