JACKSON, Tenn.- The Valdosta State volleyball team went a perfect 2-0 in a pair of Gulf South Conference matchups against Union on Friday following a thrilling 3-1 win over the Bulldogs on Friday evening. With the win, Valdosta State improved to 13-8 on the year and 7-4 in Gulf South Conference play while Union fell to 5-16 on the season while dropping to 3-9 in the conference.
Match Information: Valdosta State at Union (Match #2)
Score: VSU 3
, UU 1 (25-11, 25-17, 22-25, 27-25)
Records: VSU (13-8, 7-4 GSC)
, UU (5-16, 3-9 GSC)
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium (Jackson, Tenn.)
First Set:
Out of the gate, the Blazers looked to capitalize on their momentum of the five-set victory over Union this morning. The Blazers took an early edge at 5-3 following a kill from senior
Christina Pettigrew before a 6-1 run catapulted Valdosta State to an 11-4 lead. Following a UU timeout, VSU would proceed to piece together a 6-2 spurt capped off by a notable kill from junior
Ava Young. The Blazers would then construct another 6-2 run as a kill from junior
Sabrina Oncins gave VSU the 14-point lead, 23-9. Four service errors, two by each team, were traded back and forth resulting in Valdosta State taking the first set in dominant fashion, 25-11
Second Set:
The second set had a more competitive start with the Blazers and Bulldogs teeing off on one another until the frame was all tied up at 5-5. Valdosta State then began building some distance as VSU went on a 7-2 run, capped off by a trio of kills from junior
Katie Callenberger, Young and Pettigrew to force a Union timeout at 12-7. VSU managed to go ahead by seven following a 5-3 run as a tip-over kill from senior
Audrey Bennett put the Blazers up 17-10. Out of Union's second timeout, the Bulldogs started to roll, going on a 5-2 rally to come within four of the VSU lead, 19-15. Valdosta State then used their first timeout of the set to catch a breather before battling for a 6-2 run with Pettigrew delivering the final kill to seal the second set, 25-17.
Third Set:
The third set looked to be the most competitive of the match with the match all knotted up at 4-4. However, Union started the get going offensively, going on a 5-0 run to take its biggest lead of the evening at 9-4. The Blazers attempted to gain their footing with a timeout but were swiftly answered with a 4-2 run by the Bulldogs to build their lead up to seven at 13-6. Following their second timeout, the Blazers stormed back into the match on a 6-0 run including back-to-back-to-back aces from senior
Kaia Baker as Union held just a one-point lead, 13-12. Down the stretch, the Bulldogs continued to maintain their lead, staying at least one point ahead of VSU until a Union attack error tied the match up at 22-22. The Blazers comeback bid was quickly cut short as the Bulldogs closed out the set on three-uncontested points including the set-winning kill from Harrington Hope, 25-22.
Fourth Set:
The Blazers made it a point to start fast after dropping the third set, going up 8-3 in the blink of an eye following a kill from senior
Mackenzie Murray. The Bulldogs struck back on four-uncontested points to get right back in the set at 8-7. VSU responded with a four-point run of their own as a kill from Smith put the Blazers up by four 12-8. Valdosta State constructed its lead up to five points at 16-11 before Union snuck its way back into the contest on a 5-1 run, 17-16. VSU went up by four at 20-16 on an ace from sophomore
Lily Glover and a pair of kills from Callenberger. Union and Valdosta State traded four kills, two each, back-and-forth until the Blazers maintained their four-point lead, 22-18. However, the Bulldogs were not out of the fight yet, out-scoring the Blazers 4-2 in the final points to tie the set up at 24-24. The frame was knotted up one more time at 25-25 before a pair of Union errors ended the set in favor of Valdosta State, 27-25.
Inside the Numbers:
