SPARTANBURG, S.C. – For the final time this season, USC Upstate volleyball found itself on its home court as the Spartans fought hard to defend their home court as they traded barbs with the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern as the match went back-and-forth over the match's first three sets (27-29, 26-24. 24-26) before Charleston Southern pulled things out in the fourth set with an 11-25 victory.
 
As part of the team's final home match, the Spartans honored senior right-side hitter Briana Strobert—the first four-year Spartan recruited by head coach Ronda Shirley—prior to and throughout Saturday's match. Leading her team to three straight extra-point sets to open the match, Strobert finished the match with six kills while fashioning a .217 hitting percentage to go along with a career-high-tying five digs and six total blocks defensively.
 
Battling alongside their senior, Upstate's block made its presence felt at the net as the team totaled 11.0 total blocks on the afternoon. Joining Strobert with six total blocks, freshman middle blocker Ady O'Grady added six blocks (one solo and five assists) to the Spartans' blocking total as part of her all-around career performance against the Buccaneers.
 
Leading an exceptional performance from the Upstate's three middle blockers—a performance that saw the trio collect 24 kills and 11 blocks while posting a .488 hitting efficiency—O'Grady led the Spartans with a career-high 15 kills behind a career-high .519 hitting percentage (min. 10 attempts). Adding to her 15 kills and six total blocks, she recorded her fourth career double-figure dig match to secure her second career double-double.
 
Freshman middle blocker MJ Klaumann and junior middle blocker Nikki Deslatte added five and four kills, respectively, with Klaumann hitting .444 in the match and Deslatte hitting .429 as each of Upstate's middles posted a hitting percentage greater than .400. The duo also combined to claim five total blocks with Klaumann securing three and Deslatte two.
 
Joining O'Grady in double-figures in the kill column of the box score was sophomore outside hitter Ashleigh Nicoll who registered 10 terminations in the match. Leading Upstate in digs and joining O'Grady in double-digits in that column of the scoresheet was sophomore libero Julia Gladhill who scooped up 16 balls.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Upon completing the season's final homestand of the season, USC Upstate hits the road for the final time in the regular season next weekend, embarking on the team's longest intra-conference road trip of the season. The Spartans head to Radford next Friday before wrapping the regular season next Saturday at Campbell.
 
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