BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of the South volleyball team played four closely contested sets with No. 25 Birmingham-Southern College, but after the Panthers dropped the opening frame, they stormed back to win the next three to win the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) match, 3-1, Sunday afternoon from Bill Battle Coliseum.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: No. 25 Birmingham-Southern (12-3, 6-1), 3, Sewanee (7-9, 3-4) 1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23)
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HOW IT HAPPENED
-After the match was delayed over an hour, the Tigers took advantage of the late start, but it did not come easy. The teams went back-and-forth to start the stanza. Tied at 17, Sewanee used consecutive attack errors from BSC to take the 19-17 lead.
-Following an Alyssa Coats kill to make it 19-18, the Purple and White knocked down four straight points, includling two kills by
Laurel Burkhardt, to led 23-19.
-Sewanee did get to set point, but it would take them four tries to put it away as BSC won three straight points, 24-22. The Tigers got some help from Kylie Wilhelmi as she committed a service error to give the win to the Purple and White.
-BSC came out swinging in the second set, as the Panthers used 18 kills to win, 25-21. Similar to the first set, it was a see-saw battle. Down 21-18, Sewanee won three of the next four points to make it a 22-21 affair, but three straight points by BSC evened this match at one set win apiece.
-The Panthers used a 7-1 run in the third set to lead 23-16. Despite Sewanee's valiant effort with a 5-0 run of its own to make it 23-21, BSC won the final two points on consecutive errors.
-In the fourth, BSC stormed out to a 5-1 lead, but Sewanee would respond with six straight points to take the lead, 9-8. Unfortunately, it was short-lived, as the Panthers went on another run, winning 13 of the next 16, including a 9-0 run, to lead 21-12.
-The Tigers did make it interesting late, but the Panthers would prevail and win the match in four sets.
SEWANEE KEY STATISTICS
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Laurel Burkhardt recorded a. 351 attack percentage on Sunday thanks to 16 kills on 37 swings and committed just three mistakes. Finishing with 17.5 points, she also had three block assists.
-Sewanee recorded nine service aces on Sunday, led by
Emma Meyer's four.
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Ellie Pedersen scored eight points on four kills and three total blocks.
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Adele Cassidy set a new career-best in digs with 33 on Sunday afternoon.
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN KEY STATISTICS
-Kennedy Dickens led the Panthers with 16 kills, while Alyssa Coats recorded a double-double with 20 digs and 14 kills.
UP NEXT
The Tigers return to action next weekend with a tough schedule in the State of Georgia. The weekend starts with the second of half of the SAA schedule on Friday versus No. 6 Berry College.
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