Jaguar VB team wins SE Regional quarterfinal over UNCP in four sets
By Madison Keel | Sports writer
The Augusta Jaguars took down UNC Pembrooke 3-1 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 18, at Cuddy Arena in Wingate, N.C.
Going into the match, Augusta was seeded in No. 2 in the Southeast with UNC Pembroke No. 7.
The first set was taken by AU 25-18. The Jaguars (25-7) led this set with 13 kills and an overall hitting percentage of .306. They started the set with a three-point run with two service aces by Dariana Luna, a junior from Caracas, Venezuela. She was the leader on the team in digs with a total of 19.
The Jaguars dropped the second set to UNC Pembroke 25-19. The Braves (21-14) outscored AU in this set with 13 kills and a .222 hitting percentage compared to Augusta’s 8 kills and .027 hitting percentage. The set was mostly a back-and-forth battle until UNCP went on a five-point run, increasing the Braves’ lead from 19-17 to 24-17.
Set three showed improvement from Augusta. The Jaguars took the set 25-22. Both teams dished out 13 kills but UNC Pembrooke had more errors making their hitting percentage .098 compared to AU’s .194.
Augusta caught its stride in the fourth set, winning with a score of 25-15. The final set began with a four-point run, three of which were earned by junior outside hitter Jazmyn Wheeler. Senior setter Samantha Zittrauer shined in this set with seven assists. She led AU in assists for the match with 24.
The Jaguars were led in kills by middle blocker Madelyn Eden, who had 11, followed Wheeler with 10. Sophomore from Spartanburg, S.C., Abigail Breeden and senior from Granby, Colo., Kiera Barr shared the best hitting percentage with a perfect 1.000.
Wheeler had 10 kills and 13 digs, and Alexis Diaz-Infante had 9 kills and 6 blocks for AU. Kayli Cleaver totaled 8 kills and 3 blocks.
AU, the Peach Belt regular-season champion, will now play Flagler (19-9) in the semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. The sixth-seeded Saints won the PBC Tournament last weekend at AU. Flagler beat Carson-Newman 3-0 in its quarterfinal match on Friday.
The other semifinalists are top-seeded and host Wingate (30-2) and No. 5 Lander (21-9). Their match will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The regional final will be Sunday at 3 p.m. (EST).
Contact Madison Keel at mkeel@augusta.edu.
Ally Thees (1) hustles to try to keep a ball in play for the Jaguars. At the top of the page, the Jaguars celebrate another victory. (photos by Madison Keel)
