PENSACOLA, Fla.- After battling to win the first two sets and then dropping a hard-fought third set, the Valdosta State volleyball team was withstood by Montevallo on Friday evening in the second round of the Gulf South Conference Championship, suffering a heart-breaking five-set (3-2) defeat in Pensacola, Fla.
 
The Blazers finished the year with a 19-14 record and a 10-6 mark in the GSC while the Falcons improved to 13-17 on the year and will continue the championship run in Pensacola.
 
Match Information: Valdosta State vs. Montevallo
Score: UM 3 , VSU 2  (25-21, 25-23, 25-27, 21-25, 13-15)
Records: VSU (19-14), UM (13-17)
Location: Pensacola, Fla. (West Florida)
 
First Set:
The Blazers went to work early in the first set, building a modest 7-3 lead to open the match. For most of the frame, VSU remained out in front, keeping their foot on the gas offensively and not allowing Montevallo to go on any big runs. Valdosta State ended up taking its biggest lead of the set at 17-10 following a kill from sophomore Katie Callenberger. However, the Falcons continued to chip away at the Blazer lead, cutting the lead as close as two at 23-21. Despite this, VSU did not falter and delivered two final kills from graduate student Mallory Roney and junior Mackenzie Murray to score the set one victory, 25-21. For the set, VSU hit an impressive .387 on 16 kills with only four attack errors in 31 attempts.
 
Second Set:
The Blazers and Falcons began the second set by trading points back and forth until the frame became all tied up 11-11. Montevallo ended up taking its first lead of the match at 12-11 before building a five-point lead later in the set at 19-14. However, the Blazers continued to battle, going on a resilient 7-3 run to tie the set up at 21-21. From there, VSU never got behind for the remainder of the set as junior Jojo Smith delivered the decisive kill to give the Blazers the set two win, 25-23.
 
Third Set:
Montevallo began the third set by taking a small 5-3 in the early moments of the frame. However, the Blazers went on a massive 10-5 run to take the lead from the Falcons at 13-8. VSU continued to construct its lead, getting as high as 20-12 before Montevallo struck back on a 6-2 rally to bring the set with four, 22-18. The Blazers brought their lead back to five at set-point, 24-19 before Montevallo blindsided VSU, scoring five unanswered to snach back the lead at 25-24. Momentum ended up favoring the Falcons as they closed the set on a 2-1 run to score the major comeback victory, 27-25.
 
Fourth Set:
Montevallo and Valdosta State kicked off the fourth set by trading the lead back and forth until the Falcons inched out to a 10-6 lead at the beginning of the set. The Blazers continued to fight to get back in the match, coming within as close as one point at 15-14, but the Falcons responded with a 5-2 run to assert their lead once again, 20-16. VSU came within four of the Montevallo lead at the end of the set as Montevallo closed the set out at 25-21 to force a set five in Pensacola.
 
Fifth Set:
The fifth and final set of the match mainly went the Blazers way throughout the early minutes of the match. VSU continued to hold a narrow one or two point lead, going up 12-10 down the stretch. The Blazers and Falcons traded a point back and forth as VSU sat two points away from advancing at 13-11. However, a kill from Allie Dishman and three Blazer miscue gave Montevallo the 4-0 rally to pass VSU and take the hard-fought five setter, 15-13.
 
Inside the Numbers: