VALDOSTA, Georgia – In the second match in as many days for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the Chargers were pushed to a fourth set before earning a 3-1 win against Valdosta State in a Gulf South Conference matchup.
The Chargers (16-2, 8-1 GSC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead to kickoff the proceedings in Georgia before Valdosta State (11-10, 5-4) found its footing offensively. However, the Blazers ultimately trailed UAH the entire set until the final three rallies when they tied the set at 24 each. The Valdosta State momentum, though, was stymied quickly as the Chargers' Mary Grace Bundrant scored a kill on the next sequence to establish set point before UAH won the opening frame 26-24 on an attack error from the Blazers.
Early in the second set UAH took a 4-1 advantage as Ella Schumacher scored a pair of kills and Cooper Garrett earned another, and Schumacher and Bundrant combined for a block. The Chargers continued to lead through the first half of the set, though the Blazers challenged the lead regularly before going ahead 15-14. On the other side, the Chargers continued to find success offensively, but ultimately could not catch up to the Blazers as the home team took Set 2, 25-21.
With the score evened at 1-1, UAH made sure Set 3 was not in question as the Chargers' first point, courtesy a kill from Kayla Ward, gave them a lead they never gave up the remainder of the set. While the Chargers' largest run of the set was held to four, a near two-to-one scoring pace propelled UAH to a 25-20 Set 3 win as Schumacher capped a 4-1 run to end the set with a kill.
The fourth set returned to a more even-keeled battle between the sides as the Blazers responded with four straight points to the Chargers opening pair of kills from Amelia Smith. After the opening rally, both teams tied the score eight times, the last coming at 15-15. From that point, UAH went on a 8-1 run with Bundrant, Garrett, Schumacher and Redman scoring kills to help provide a 23-16 lead for the Chargers. Though Valdosta State managed to bring the score a little closer with three points, a final kill from Ward secured a 25-19 Set 4 win to give UAH the 3-1 win.
IN THE STATS
COMING UP
The Chargers' next match will come against Trevecca Nazarene at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at home at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall.
