FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Parker, kparker@uscupstate.edu

KENNESAW, Ga. – The USC Upstate volleyball team (4-7, 0-1 A-Sun) opened Atlantic Sun Conference play Tuesday, dropping a 3-1 decision in four close sets at Kennesaw State (11-4, 1-0 A-Sun) by scores of 29-27, 25-17, 23-25 and 29-27.

The Spartans were led by sophomore Kayla McAvoy (Boiling Springs, S.C.) with 16 kills, marking her third-straight double-digit kill performance. Freshman Kayla Eversgerd (Breese, Ill.) also recorded her third-straight double-digit kill outing, tallying 13 kills, while senior Emily Bingham (St. Petersburg, Fla.) added 12 kills for Upstate.

Senior Emily Sanders flirted with a double-double, handing out 43 assists for the Spartans and scooping up nine digs. Freshman Lexi Gober (Edwardsville, Ill.) paced the squad with 13 digs, while junior Morgan Page (Woodstock, Ga.) helped with eight digs and senior Mindy Quimby (Keenesburg, Colo.) added seven digs for the Spartan defense to go along with nine kills.

Upstate out-blocked KSU 12-5 as Bingham posted a match-high six blocks. McAvoy and Eversgerd each added five rejections for the Spartans. Sanders collected four assisted denials. 

The Owls were led by a pair of hitters as Keyaira Stevenson and Turea Jones recorded 20 kills apiece. Jones posted 13 digs for the double-double. Emily Bean and Baylee Strachan registered 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Sara Metroka anchored the Kennesaw State offense, dishing out 67 assists. Camille Pedraza had a match-high 20 digs for the Owls.  

The Spartans return to action Friday, traveling to A-Sun foe ETSU for a 7 p.m. contest.

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