Box Score (.pdf)

Kennesaw, Ga. – The USC Upstate volleyball team dropped a 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 18-25, 10-15) decision to the Kennesaw State Owls Saturday afternoon in its A-Sun opener from the KSU Convocation Center.

Upstate falls to 12-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference, while Kennesaw State improves to 9-3 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.

Kayla Eversgerd was one of four Spartans to record double-digit kills after finishing with a double-double of 15 kills and 26 digs. Lexi Gober also collected a double-double on 46 assists and 14 digs. Emily Koelling added 12 kills and Callie Yeargin 10. Shannon Weiss tied her career-high of 25 digs and Rebecca Shearer contributed 17.

Sydni Shelton led all players with 23 kills and was joined in double-figures by Anaiah Boyer's 11. Kristi Piedimonte compiled a double-double for the Owls with 46 assists and 10 digs, and Katarina Morton had a match-high 31 digs.

Upstate jumped out to an early 5-2 lead to open the first set behind kills from Eversgerd and Koelling. Kennesaw State rallied to even the set at 6-6 before going ahead 9-6 after reeling off four straight points. The Spartans fought back to take a 12-11 lead behind three straight kills by Yeargin and increased the advantage to 15-13 on another Yeargin kill. After the Owls tied the set again, Upstate scored four straight points to go in front 20-16 following a service ace by Gober. Kennesaw State came back late to lead to 22-21 after a solo block from Liesl Engelbrecht. Koelling and Shearer recorded the final two kills for the Spartans as they held on to win 25-23.

The Owls answered back in the second set to win 25-18 and even the match at 1-1. Kennesaw State trailed just once in the set and used a 10-3 run midway to take a 16-8 lead on Piedimonte's service ace. Upstate managed to get to within five, 21-16, late after a pair of kills by Eversgerd. Shelton captured the set for the Owls with her kill.

The teams traded the opening 16 points of the third set to sit tied at 8-8 on a kill by Brianna Tellschow. Kennesaw State benefited from a 7-3 run after that to take a 15-11 lead on Weiss' service error. The Spartans responded with a 9-5 run of their own to equal the score at 20-20 courtesy of a kill by Yeargin. The Owls took the lead back the following play but would be held scoreless the rest of the way as they committed three straight errors, giving Upstate a 25-21 victory.

Kennesaw State sent the match into a fifth set after winning the fourth 25-18. The Owls began the frame with an 11-4 run capped off by a combination block by Engelbrecht and Boyer. The Spartans rallied back to within three, 14-11, after an error by Amariah Boyer, only to see Kennesaw State push its lead back to 20-13 several plays later. Shelton won the set for the Owls with her kill.

Upstate fell behind 3-1 to start the fifth set but came back to take a 6-5 lead on Gober's kill and a bad set by Piedimonte. The teams went back-and-forth for the next five plays with the score sitting at 8-8 following Boyer's kill. After Koelling trimmed the Spartan deficit to 11-10 with her kill, Kennesaw State finished the set scoring the last four points to win 15-10 and capturing the match 3-2.

Upstate is back in action next Friday, Oct. 2 as it hosts North Florida at 6 p.m. in its "Dig Pink" match. All fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness.

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