HUNTSVILLE | Despite a roaring start to the match, The University of Alabama in Huntsville volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to visiting Valdosta State on Saturday afternoon at Kelly Court at Spragins Hall. The Chargers slip to 14-5 (5-5 Gulf South Conference), while VSU improves to 13-2 (8-2 GSC).
UAH completely dominated the opening set, holding as much as a 14-point lead en route to a 25-13 victory in the frame. Committing just two attack errors in the frame were the Chargers who hit .333, and the squad was led by
Olivia Bauman offensively as she had a team-best four kills in the opener while swinging at a .500 clip.
In the second set, Valdosta State scored five of the last six points to claim a 25-20 victory to level the match at 1-1, and a reversal of the first allowed VSU to lead 2-1 after winning 25-10 in the third set.
The Blazers closed out the match with a 25-14 win in the fourth.
A blistering .607 hitting percentage for VSU in the fourth helped the visitors outswing the Chargers by a .331 to .159 margin for the match, and the Blazers also owned the advantage defensively by logging 61 digs to UAH's 52 while also registering 11 blocks.
Bauman finished the contest with a UAH-high 11 kills, while
Kirsten Giles notched a double-double with 33 assists and 13 digs.
Haley Hop also logged double figures in digs with 10.
With the first half of the conference season concluded, UAH will remain at home for the start of the second half as West Georgia visits the Rocket City on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Chargers were 3-0 winners earlier in the season in Carrollton, Georgia.
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