SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (19-25, 19-25, 21-25) decision in non-conference play Saturday afternoon to the Georgia Southern Eagles from Eddie and Ann Payne Arena inside the G.B. Hodge Center.

USC Upstate falls to 0-5 on the season while Georgia Southern improves to 2-2 overall.

The Eagles recorded the first three points of the opening set before the Spartans answered with three of the next four to trail 4-3 after a kill by McKenna Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick and Emily Russell later teamed up for a combination block to cut the USC Upstate deficit to 6-5. A kill by Gloria Ikenegbu put the Spartans down 12-9. Georgia Southern broke the set open with a 6-2 run and went ahead 18-11, forcing USC Upstate into a timeout. The Eagles took their largest lead of the set at 22-13 on a kill. The Spartans attempted a late rally getting to within five points, 24-19, on a kill from Bri Strobert. Georgia Southern won the set on the following play.

Behind the serving of Scout Hoffmeier, USC Upstate jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to begin the second set capped by her service ace. The Eagles responded with a 7-3 run and evened the score at 7-7. After Russell's kill made the score 10-9, Georgia Southern would go on a 7-2 run and increased its lead out to 17-11. The Spartans got as close as 20-19 late after an Eagle attack error. Georgia Southern closed out the set recording the final five points to win 25-19.

The teams traded the initial 10 points of the third set as USC Upstate tied the score at 5-5 on a kill by Mikenzie Young-Mullins. Strobert later gave the Spartans a 9-7 lead with her kill. The Eagles answered with an 11-6 run and went in front 16-12, forcing USC Upstate into a timeout. Following the timeout, the Spartans came back with a 7-3 run of their own and evened the score at 19-19 on a Young-Mullins kill. Georgia Southern concluded the set on a 6-2 run to capture the set 25-21 and win the match 3-0.

Stats of the Match

·         Young-Mullins led USC Upstate offensively registering eight kills while adding eight digs.

·         Ikenegbu and Kirkpatrick both finished with seven kills.

·         Playing in her first collegiate match, Strobert contributed five kills.

·         Hoffmeier and Annalisa Mendoza, also playing in her first collegiate match, combined for 29 assists. Hoffmeier dished out a team-high 16 assists and Mendoza added 13.

·         Mackenzie Marcum tied for a match-high with 17 digs.

·         Mya Wilson led three Eagles in double-figure kills with a match-high 13.

·         Madison Brown dished out 35 assists.

·         Landon Jones collected 17 digs.

·         The Spartans held a 5.0-4.0 advantage in total team blocks.

Up Next

·         USC Upstate closes out a three-match homestand on Tuesday, September 10 hosting Tusculum at 7 p.m.

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