SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a fashion befitting its group of eight seniors and its 2024 season, USC Upstate volleyball displayed its trademark grit as it ground out a four-set victory Saturday afternoon, sinking Charleston Southern in front of a raucous crowd at the G.B. Hodge Center. The Spartans' seniors helmed the fight as multiple career highs from the group propelled the Spartans to victory.
 
Continuing her torrid stretch during Big South Conference play, fifth-year senior outside hitter Ali Jansen's effort Saturday accomplished something no Spartan had since the 2019 season as she crossed the 20-kill barrier with her career-high 23 terminations. Her total stands as the third-best in a single match in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.), falling a single kill shy of the era record (24).
 
Setting the tone at the net, redshirt sophomore middle blocker Nya Browne—who is graduating in May—paced Upstate with a career-best six blocks, factoring into all but two of the team's 8.0 total team blocks in the match. Senior right-side hitter Kennedy Lauck secured the decisive point against the Buccaneers as her third kill of the night, tying her career high, ended the match.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 3; Charleston Southern 1 (25-19; 21-25; 25-23; 25-21)
Records: USC Upstate (10-13; 5-5 Big South); Charleston Southern (6-18; 3-8 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
Providing the spark for Upstate throughout the afternoon, Jansen set the tone early and often throughout the match's four-set duration as she recorded no fewer than five kills in any set. She topped out with seven in set three—the most in a single set by a Spartan in 2024—as she fashioned her career-best 23 kills behind a .358 hitting efficiency.
 
Junior middle blocker Ady O'Grady and junior right-side hitter Savannah Page each reached double-figure kills complementing Jansen on the scoresheet. Each attacker finished with 11 kills on the day with O'Grady's total coming off a .360 hitting percentage and Page's off a .233 hitting efficiency.
 
Directing the Spartans' offense to a .257 team hitting percentage, senior setter Kayla Spangler passed out a season-best 49 assists, an average of 12.25 helpers per frame. Adding 12 digs, Spangler recorded her second consecutive double-double, one of two Spartans with a double-double. O'Grady secured her second of the year with 10 digs complementing her 11 kills.
 
For the second straight match, Upstate's defense at the net recorded eight-plus team total blocks, finishing the day with 8.0 blocks Saturday. Browne led the way defensively, collecting a career-high six total blocks. Jansen combined with her on three occasions, slotting behind Browne on the box score with three total blocks.
 
Behind the block, Upstate's floor defense scooped up 81 total digs with five Spartans registering double-digit digs, the first time the Spartans accomplished the feat since Sept. 4 against Furman. Senior libero Julia Gladhill and redshirt senior defensive specialist Caroline Cleveland paced the group with 16 digs while freshman defensive specialist Hannah Campbell joined Cleveland, Gladhill, O'Grady, and Spangler with 10-plus digs.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Continuing a five-match homestand over the final six regular season matches of 2024, Upstate returns to the G.B. Hodge Center next weekend. In the team's final two-match home weekend, the Spartans host Winthrop and Gardner-Webb on Nov. 8-9.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
 
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!