CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Facing its final two-match gameday of the season as the Queens Fall Classic came to a close Saturday afternoon, USC Upstate volleyball toughed out a pair of five-set victories over Queens and Davidson, earning a tournament championship as the weekend finalized.
 
The Spartans opened their day with a comeback victory over host Queens, fighting its way back from a 2-1 set deficit to win successive sets for the team's first win of the 2024 season. While the result of the nightcap proved the same—a five-set victory—the path to said victory turned out different as Upstate held off a late charge from Davidson, fending off the Wildcats' attempt to win three consecutive sets.
 
Game Information (vs. Queens)
Score: USC Upstate 3; Queens 2 (25-21; 20-25; 22-25; 25-23; 15-11)
Records: USC Upstate (1-8; 0-0 Big South); Queens (2-7; 0-0 ASUN)
Location: Levine Center | Charlotte, N.C.
 
How It Happened (vs. Queens)
Beginning its day with a game that'd set the tone for the Spartans' remaining nine sets of the afternoon, USC Upstate captured the opening set in comeback fashion, reeling off a late run for the set win. As it did in its opening set Friday night, Upstate built upon the effort of senior libero Julia Gladhill in the opening stanza as she picked up eight of her match-high 24 digs in the set, collecting a third of the team's 23 digs in the first set.
 
Despite dropping the second and third sets, the Spartans saw a pair of impact performances from players who didn't appear in the opening set. In the second game, freshman defensive specialist Hannah Campbell led the team's backline, scooping seven balls in the frame en route to a career-high 19 digs on the night, another member of the team's quartet of players with double-digit digs.
 
Entering the match in the third set, sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Hook accrued half of her career-high 14 kills in the stanza, netting seven kills behind a .583 hitting efficiency in her opening set. She carried over her hot hand into the fourth set—another set seeing the Spartans pull away late—recording another five terminations to push her into double-figures for the first time in her career.
 
Upon tying the game, Upstate jumped out to an early advantage in the final frame, reaching eight points first in the set, before holding off a late rally attempt from the Royals for the victory. Adding to the 24 and 19 digs from Gladhill and Campbell, redshirt freshman outside hitter Bri Brathol and freshman setter Kamyla Vega David dug up 19 and 10 balls, respectively, giving Upstate four players with 10-plus digs. Vega David added 42 assists, earning her sixth career double-double.
 
Game Information (vs. Davidson)
Score: USC Upstate 3; Davidson 2 (25-23; 25-23; 18-25; 18-25; 15-10)
Records: USC Upstate (2-8; 0-0 Big South); Davidson (4-5; 0-0 A-10)
Location: Levine Center | Charlotte, N.C.
 
How It Happened (vs. Davidson)
Playing back-to-back to close the weekend, USC Upstate carried the momentum of its five-set victory over Queens to its first two sets against Davidson, taking both periods by scores of 25-23 to open a two-sets to-none advantage at the break. The opening stanza against the Wildcats saw junior middle blocker Alona Clinansmith carry the load offensively, throwing down six kills without an error on seven swings in the set, ultimately, finishing the evening with a career-high 15 kills, reaching double-digit kills for the second time in her career—both coming at the Queens Fall Classic.
 
After hitting .364 in the opening set (15 kills with three errors on 33 swings), the Spartans kept up its efficient offense in the second game, crafting a .275 hitting percentage. Upstate's 14 kills in the set were spread evenly as five attackers registered a kill with fifth-year senior right-side hitter Ali Jansen and junior middle blocker Ady O'Grady recording four kills apiece. O'Grady finished the match with a team-best 16 kills behind a team-high .406 hitting percentage. Combining for 31 kills, the Spartans' middle blocker duo of Clinansmith and O'Grady concluded the night hitting .403 as a unit.
 
Battling back to tie the match and force a deciding fifth set, Davidson flipped the script, hitting greater than .250 in each of its set victories while holding Upstate to a hitting efficiency under .200. Upstate, however, was not deterred, fighting back in both the third and fourth sets before seeing the fifth set play out like its match earlier in the afternoon. The Spartans, again, reached eight points first in the final frame, holding off a late charge from the Wildcats to finish the day with a pair of gritty victories.
 
Upstate's second match of the day saw four players scoop up double-figure digs as senior libero Julia Gladhill led the Spartans with 22 digs, digging 20-plus balls in consecutive matches. Redshirt senior defensive specialist Caroline Cleveland, redshirt freshman outside hitter Bri Brathol, and freshman setter Kamyla Vega David collected 17, 14, and 12 digs, respectively, to round out the quartet. Vega David registered her seventh-career and third-straight double-double, adding 42 assists.
 
Notable

• Leading Upstate to a Queens Fall Classic title, Kamyla Vega David and Alona Clinansmith earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. Vega David finished the weekend with 122 total assists (8.71 per set) and 34 digs, recording a double-double in each match en route to Tournament MVP honors.
• Recording eight total blocks on the weekend, Ady O'Grady moved past former Spartan Madison Haake for eighth on the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) career leaderboard for total blocks. With 208 career total blocks, she next eyes former teammate Briana Strobert (228) for the seventh spot on the list.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Closing out the non-conference tournament portion of the team's schedule, USC Upstate returns from the Queen City to the friendly confines of the G.B. Hodge Center to host the Spartan Classic. The Spartans welcome West Georgia (Sep. 19 at 11 a.m. ET) and Idaho (Sep. 21 at 11 a.m) for a pair of matches.
 
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