VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State volleyball team (8-11) defeated the Lee University Flames (10-10) over a four-set (25-17, 25-27, 25-23, 25-21) victory at the Complex on Saturday. The Blazers moved to 7-3 in Gulf South Conference play and claimed their fourth straight win.

Sophomore Avery Mullins put down a kill for the first Blazer point. Junior Asia Montagnani and senior Sabrina Oncins put away the next two Blazer kills, then senior Katie Callenberger sent down a rejection to push VSU ahead 6-3. The Blazer offense caught fire early, riding kills from Callenberger (2), LaRochelle (2), and Mullins (1) to a 7-0 run. A service ace from freshman Ava Keuntjes pushed the lead to 13-4.

The Blazers benefited from several Lee errors then Oncins sent down her second kill to extend the lead to 18-9. Montagnani and Mullins put down back-to-back kills. Oncins followed with a pair of service aces, 23-11. Mullins put down her fourth kill of the set and Keuntjes served another ace to earn the 25-15 win.

Senior Ava Young opened the second set with a kill, which graduate Macy Brown followed with a service ace. Montagnani knocked down the next two kills, then junior Eimy Negron Domenech served an ace of her own. Kills from LaRochelle (3) and Oncins (1) joined an ace from junior Hailey Holder to power the offense to a 13-9 advantage.

Brown served her second ace and Oncins added another kill. Three Lee errors and a solo rejection from Callenberger kept the Blazers ahead 19-13. Kills from Mullins (2) and Montagnani (1) joined another ace by Holder to extend the lead to 23-15.

The Flames fired back with the next five points. Freshman Madison Kilmer sent down a kill to push VSU within match point at 24-20. The Flames continued fighting all the way back to take a 25-24 lead. Oncins sent down another kill, but Lee escaped with a 27-25 win to tie the match 1-1.

The first two kills of the third set came from Oncins. Brown served her third ace of the day to push VSU ahead 3-1. Montagnani (2) and Callenberger put away the next Blazer kills, then the latter sent down a block. A kill from Oncins and another Lee error helped the Blazers roll ahead 12-4.

Mullins put down her seventh kill of the match to add on to the lead. The Flames responded, storming back by taking the next ten points for a 14-13 advantage. The Blazers reclaimed the lead courtesy of a three-point run behind kills from Kilmer and freshman Kinsley Timmons. Mullins added an ace, 16-14 VSU.

The Flames fought back again with a three-point rally. Oncins (2) and Montagnani fired back big kills for the offense. Another solo block from Callenberger gave VSU a two-point lead, 21-19. Oncins dropped in an ace and after several Lee errors, VSU was within set point. Callenberger sent down a final emphatic kill to win the set 25-23 and take the 2-1 match lead.

Young opened the fourth set with a kill. Oncins followed with one of her own then the pair teamed up for a block to give VSU an early 4-2 lead. Montagnani sent down a rejection to open a three-point Blazer run. Negron Domenech followed with a kill and a Flame error pushed the lead to 7-3.

The sides fought back and forth throughout the final set, but the Blazers trailed at no point throughout. Kills from Montagnani (3), Callenberger (2), Mullins (2), LaRochelle (2), Young, Kilmer and Oncins powered a clean effort through the rest of the set. Lee rallied but Valdosta State pulled out the win 25-21 in the set and 3-1 in the match.

Senior Sabrina Oncins led the Blazers with 12 kills at a .290 clip. She also tied to the lead team in service aces with graduate Macy Brown at three. Junior Asia Montagnani was second in kills, sending down ten at a .231 clip.  

Sophomore Avery Mullins led the team with 34 assists. Mullins also set her career high with nine kills at a .259 clip in today's match. Junior Eimy Negron Domenech led the team with 22 digs. Senior Katie Callenberger's six blocks led the team. Callenberger also added six kills in the match.

Looking Forward

The Valdosta State volleyball team will be back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 21^st when they travel to Alabama to take on Auburn Montgomery at 7 p.m. ET. The Blazers will then return to the Complex to host Christian Brothers at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Union (Tenn.) at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Check the volleyball schedule page on vstateblazers.com for links to live stats and streaming. 

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