On the precipice of hosting the Gulf South Conference Volleyball Championship, the University of Alabama in Huntsville has decidedly kept up its winning ways with a 3-0 victory at home in SportsMED Arena at Spragins Hall against Valdosta State.
Earning the Chargers' (24-2, 16-1 GSC) 14th straight match, UAH were pushed early on by the Blazers (16-13, 10-7), but the Chargers powered their way through three straight sets for the match victory. In Set 1, Valdosta State got on the board first, but UAH was quick to answer with two kills, courtesy Cooper Garret and Mary Grace Bundrant. The Blazer took an early lead following those two strikes, 5-2, before UAH responded and tied the score at six apiece. Until the Chargers moved ahead by three at 18-15, the largest lead up until that point by either side was limited to two points. Despite the closeness of the set, the Chargers battled their way to the end, trading points before Kayla Ward delivered the final point in a 25-22 opening set win.
Similar to the first set, Set 2 was an even trade of points early on as UAH led 7-6. A 10-0 run, however, opened up the Chargers' lead as Amelia Smith notched two kills, Mary Grace one kill and a block, and Ella Schumacher four total kills through the run. The Blazer responded with a smattering of points through the remainder of the set, but UAH closed on a 5-0 run to earn a 25-13 set win to move ahead 2-0 as Ward once again delivered the clinching kill.
The third set was once again an even keeled affair to begin, though it was Valdosta State that took the first substantial lead, 9-6. The Chargers were quick to respond, however, as they used a 6-0 run to move ahead 13-10 as Bundrant assisted on a pair of blocks along with Smith and Schumacher before Smith and Bundrant each also scored a kill in the run. The Blazers repeatedly made runs at the UAH lead, but the Chargers held them at bay, never relinquishing the lead before closing the night on an even trade of points to take the third set, 25-22, on a final kill from Emily Redman.
IN THE STATS
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Ella Schumacher led the attack for UAH with 14 kills on a 44.8% attack efficiency. Mary Grace Bundrant added another nine kills while Kayla Ward hit eight. The trio of Emily Redman, Amelia Smith and Cooper Garrett each hit four.
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Bundrant recorded six total blocks with a pair of solo stops. Smith and Ward each recorded a trio of block assists while Garrett earned two more.
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Redman led a trio of players who reached double-digit digs as she recorded 12 while Sydney Durban added 11 and Garrett 10. Brooklyn Stiles added another eight while Ward recorded seven more.
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Garrett led the team with 19 assists while Anna Clare Hutto added another 13.
COMING UP
The Chargers are home for a final regular season home match at 2 p.m. against AUM on Saturday with a celebration of the team's seniors beforehand.
