VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State volleyball team (19-11, 13-7 GSC) dropped a tough four-set loss to Lee on Saturday afternoon in the final match of the 2024 regular season. With the loss, VSU ended up on the receiving end of a series sweep to the Lady Flames, previously dropping a five-setter in Cleveland on Oct. 19.
 
Saturday also marked Senior Day for the Blazers where seniors Jojo Smith, Ah'Miah Harris, Kaia Baker and Audrey Bennett were honored prior to the match.
 
Match Information: Lee at Valdosta State
Score: LEE 3 , VSU 1 (25-12, 16-25, 18-25, 19-25)
Records: VSU (19-11, 13-7 GSC), LEE (17-15, 11-9 GSC)
Location: Valdosta, Ga. (The Complex)
 
First Set:
In the opening set of the match, Lee worked its way up to an early lead at 5-3 following a bad set by the Blazers. However, VSU managed to tie the set up at 5-5 following a kill from Smith just before another miscue put the Lady Flames up again, 6-5. Valdosta State then mustered up an intense 9-0 run that included three service aces from senior Christina Pettigrew to take a massive lead over the Lady Flames, 14-6. Lee tacked on two points following a Blazer service error to make the set a six-point contest before the Blazers got rolling once again on a 6-1 run to take a double-digit lead, 20-9. With the frame coming to a close, Lee fought back, out-striking the Blazers for a quick 3-2 rally to bring the set to a 10-point affair at 22-12. VSU quickly closed out the opening frame with three quick points including the deciding kill from Pettigrew, 25-12.
 
Second Set:
The second set looked to be a back-and-forth contest with the frame becoming all tied up at 8-8 early following a kill from Lee's Sara Palumbo. The Blazers looked to take advantage in the set, going on a 4-0 flurry that included a pair of kills from junior Sabrina Oncins to go up 12-8. Following a Lee timeout, the tide seemed to be shifting with the Lady Flames coming together for a game-changing 10-0 run to go up by six in the blink of an eye, 18-12. Valdosta State attempted to fight back but were only able to muster four more points in the set with Lee out-scoring VSU down the stretch, 7-4. With all the momentum in favor of the Lady Flames, Lee took the second set, 25-16.
 
Third Set:
Set three looked to be competitive in the opening points with VSU coming out of an early scoring frenzy on top following a Lee attack error, 4-3. However, the Lady Flames had other plans, racking up seven points compared to Valdosta State's one to completely take over the third set in a flash, 10-5. Lee continued to overpower VSU with excellent defensive play on a 6-4 run that placed the Lady Flames up by seven at 16-9. Not quite out of the fight yet, Valdosta State answered back with a 6-2 rally to come within striking distance of Lee's lead, 18-15. Lee and VSU traded six points back-and-forth, 3-3, with the set still being a three-point affair, 21-18. However, the Lady Flames caught fire again, this time on a 4-0 run capped off by a service ace to seal the fourth set, 25-18.
 
Fourth Set:
With Lee firmly in the driver's seat in the match, the two teams opened the fourth set by duking it out early. VSU emerged at 10-9 following a kill from Pettigrew before the Lady Flames were able to piece together a 6-0 spurt to go up by five in a hurry, 15-10. The Blazers continued to fight back on a 3-0 run to bring the frame back to a two-point contest, 15-13. However, the Blazers were never able to get any big runs down the stretch with Lee out-striking VSU 5-2 to maintain a five-point lead, 20-15. A Lady Flame attack error and a kill from Pettigrew brought the set back to 20-17 before a three-point flurry from the Flames boosted their lead to six, 23-17. VSU managed to tally two more points in the frame but the overwhelming momentum change set by Lee in the second set was too much to overcome as Lee took the match in four, locking up the fourth set, 25-19.
 
Inside the Numbers:

 
Up Next:
The Blazers will now set their sights on Pensacola, Fla. where The Gulf South Conference Championship is set to kick off on Friday, Nov. 22. With the dust still settling in the conference, the Blazers will wait and see if they will remain at the three seed or drop to the four, depending on if Mississippi College defeats Union on the road this afternoon. For more information on the upcoming tournament, visit the conference tournament page on the GSC website or stay tuned to vstateblazers.com.