AU outlasts Lander in five sets to set up final showdown
By Justin Gray | Sports writer
A chance to play a winner-take-all game, possibly the first seed in the region and Senior Night created an epic atmosphere at Christenberry Fieldhouse on Thursday, Nov. 9.
The crowd was loud with every Augusta point as the Jaguars took down Lander 3-2 in the battle between the two best volleyball teams in the Peach Belt Conference.
Setter Janvier Buggs, who had a career-high 45 assists, had high praise for the crowd.
“The atmosphere, it was electric,” said the Smyrna, Tenn., product and transfer from Austin Peay. “It was the loudest I’ve heard the crowd, yet everyone was so engaged. It made it so much more fun for us.”
Junior Rylie Harris set the tone for the match with an ace to start set one. The Jaguars’ energy played a big role in this set as they were flying around the court, they even stretched the lead to 16-10 at a point in the set. Lander tried to make a late push, but it wasn’t enough, as the Jaguars prevailed, 25-22.
The second set was all Lander as the Bearcats (10-1, 26-4) got out to a five-point lead and never looked back, taking the set over the Jaguars, 25-20.
Augusta (10-1, 24-4) came out reenergized in set three, jumping out to a 14-4 lead behind Jazmyn Wheeler’s serves. They kept the momentum going, taking the set 25-14 and regaining the upper hand in the match, 2-1.
The fourth set was neck and neck as the Jaguars fought to win the match here to keep it from going five sets, but Lander stayed alive winning the set, 25-23.
The fifth set was a 15-point set and it’s pivotal to get the early lead. The Jaguars did that, gaining a 7-4 lead behind a Madelyn Eden kill. The Jaguars held a 14-11 lead and it was the perfect storm because senior Jazmyn Wheeler, amongst all of her accolades, was the one to get the winning serve for the Jaguars. Kayli Cleaver delivered the winning kill to leave both teams 10-1 entering the final night of the regular season.
Wheeler led the team in kills with a career-high 27 and aces with three. Fellow Senior Dariana Luna led the team with a career-high 39 digs, Rylie Harris followed with 22. Luna, the defensive specialist whose parents made the trip from her native Caracas, Venezuela, to see their daughter in her final regular-season home match, was everywhere on the floor retrieving Bearcat attacking shots.
Buggs, per usual, led the team in assists with 46, her career high. Buggs over and over again also had deceptive kills, finishing with seven—a high total for a setter. Sophia Kruczko added 10 kills and three blocks.
AU’s Madelyn Eden, who sang the national anthem before the game, had a career day with eight blocks and nine kills. She knew that she had to be ready to go.
“This was a mentally challenging game because Lander is one of our biggest rivals and they beat us last time, but we knew it wasn’t because of our physical skills,” said Eden, the Mulberry, Fla., native who sang the national anthem before the match. “It was because we weren’t ready mentally.”
When asked what was different in this matchup with Lander as to their previous loss, AU Coach Sharon Quarles said the team played with more fire this time.
“We actually played tonight,” Quarles said. “Last time we played them, we gave them the match, not doing anything well and tonight was the exact opposite. Our big blocks actually showed up and gave them a fit, so that was nice to see.”
The Jaguar coach, who is nearing 300 wins at AU, called it a “flawless” performance from the Jaguars and that they are “hyped and ready to go for tomorrow night”.
The win made tomorrow night’s game with Lander the biggest of the season, as the winner will be crowned regular-season Peach Belt Conference champion.
The Bearcats, ranked first in the Southeast in NCAA Division II, were led by Katie Miller with 17 kills and Lauren Dow with 48 assists.
It was a classic Peach Belt volleyball match, befitting of the league’s two best teams. AU hit at a .205 clip, compared to .167 for Lander. The Jaguars, ranked third in the Southeast, had 18 blocks, compared to 12 for the Bearcats.
The final match will be Friday, Nov. 10, beginning at 6 p.m. (EST) at Lander.
AU is the defending regular-season champion, and Friday’s winner will host the PBC Tournament.
Contact Justin Gray at jusgray@augusta.edu.
Madelyn Eden (15) goes up for the block against Lander University’s Annie Holesinger in AU’s five-set win over the Bearcats, as teammates Jazmyn Wheeler and Janvier Buggs (21) watch. At the top of the page, Sophia Kruczko (8) and Savannah Davis (5) go for the block for AU against Lander’s outstanding outside hitter Katie Miller (15). Jaguar Coach Sharon Quarles emphasized the team’s blocking efforts in this match with Lander. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
Jazmyn Wheeler saved her best for last, getting a career-high 26 kills on Senior Night. Wheeler, who is from Phoenix, Ariz., also had 17 digs as she played in front of her family. (photo by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
Dariana Luna stretches for yet another dig for the Jaguars. Luna, the senior from Caracas, Venezuela, had 39 digs on Senior Night. (photo by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
