CARROLLTON, Ga. – UWG volleyball erased an early deficit on Saturday afternoon to win their first Gulf South Conference game of the season, defeating archrival Valdosta State, 3-1 in GSC volleyball action at The Coliseum.
The Wolves (7-7, 1-2 GSC) had a well-balanced attack on Saturday, getting at least eight kills from four different players including nine from freshman
Isabella Steffel. The defensive effort was distributed evenly as well as Steffel had seven blocks and
Autumn Mayes and
Sanai Young recorded four blocks each.
Valdosta State (6-9, 0-2 GSC) took the early lead in the match with a 25-21 victory in the opening set. The Blazers led the majority of the set until UWG gained an 18-17 lead and then got a two-point lead at 21-19. Three straight VSU points forced a UWG timeout and then the Blazers made it six straight points by winning each point after the break to win the set.
That ignited the Wolves in the second set, who held VSU to a negative hitting percentage in the set and got four blocks at the net. UWG got each of the first five points and never trailed, leading by as much as 11 which was also the final margin at 25-14.
West Georgia rode that momentum into another victory in a closely contested third set. The Wolves led through much of the set until VSU got a lead at 22-20, but the Wolves did just as VSU did in the opening set and went a run to take the 2-1 lead.
In the fourth and decisive set, West Georgia led by as much a four multiple times before Valdosta State tied things up at 17-17. The two teams traded points until UWG got two kills from Young sandwiched around a kill from fellow freshman
Marley Staats to make it a 23-20 advantage. It was young who recorded her eighth kill of the contest on match point to make it a 3-1 victory for the Wolves.
Along with Steffel's nine and Young's eight kills, Staats also had eight kills as did Zoë LaBreche.
Sydney Blackmon led UWG in digs with 24 while Mayes led in assists with 32.
Next up for the Wolves is a non-conference match on Tuesday night, hosting Clark Atlanta in a 6 p.m. contest.