JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Concluding play at the Buccaneer Classic, USC Upstate volleyball engaged in another four-set affair, closing the event with a setback against host East Tennessee State by scores of 28-26, 20-25, 18-25, 17-25.
 
Behind the team's best offensive set of the weekend, Upstate raced out to an early lead in the first set, using 16 kills to secure a 28-26 set victory. In the set, sophomore outside hitter Ashleigh Nicoll planted the seed for her career day with eight kills on 16 swings, hitting .500 for the period.
 
Over the course of the match, Nicoll finished with career-highs in kills (18) and total blocks (4.0), leading to a career-best and match-high 20.5 points. She hit .289 for the match (18-5-45) as she earned Buccaneer Classic All-Tournament Team honors for her efforts.
 
Joining Nicoll in double-figures, freshman middle blocker Ady O'Grady chipped in 10 terminations, reaching double-digit kills for the second time in her young career. O'Grady added a block assist on the afternoon, totaling 10.5 points in the match.
 
Playing six rotations for the first time in her career, freshman setter/right-side hitter Savannah Page posted her first career double-double against ETSU as she passed out 19 assists and dug up 12 balls—both totals marking career-highs. Adding to her double-double, Page registered four kills and two service aces, leading the Spartans in service Saturday.
 
Pacing the floor defense and joining Page with double-digit digs, freshman libero Jaci Drinnon pulled up 17 balls, earning her fifth double-figure dig match of the season. Just behind Drinnon and Page in digs and nearing double-doubles of their own, Nicoll and junior setter Emma McElveen added eight and nine digs, respectively, as Upstate scooped up 62 total digs in the match.
 
Elsewhere defensively, the Spartans finished the weekend with its streak of consecutive matches with 5.0 or more total team blocks, running the streak to nine matches after recording 7.0 versus ETSU. Nicoll and junior middle blocker Nikki Deslatte led the Spartans with four total blocks apiece while the duo and junior right-side hitter Ali Jansen each had a solo block.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
After finishing the preseason tournament portion of the team's non-conference schedule, Upstate embarks on the final week of non-conference play with the first of three matches, taking a trip Tuesday to Alabama A&M. The Spartans and Aggies match up for a 6:00 p.m. ET contest in Huntsville, Ala.
 
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