AU volleyball sweeps the weekend at the Pacer Invitational
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
The Augusta University volleyball team dominated all four matches Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10-11, at the USC Aiken Convocation Center.
“Overall, we are a team to contend with and teams are going to have to come to us,” said AU Coach Sharon Quarles. “It’s early in the season, but there are glimpses of greatness we have seen that has come to life this weekend compared to the first weekend.”
On Friday, AU first faced Belmont Abbey College (0-8), and the Jaguars went on to sweep the match in three sets. The Jaguars won by scores of 25-21, 25-11 and 25-20.
Seniors Kylie Martin and Alyssa Dutton led the team on the offensive end with 8 kills each. AU also led Belmont Abbey on aces with 11 compared to their 2.
In match two, AU competed against Francis Marion University (3-5). The Jaguars would once again close out the match in three sets by scores of 25-17, 25-20 and 26-24.
Three seniors led the Jaguars in kills, Chloe Allen (11), Kylie Martin (11) and Alyssa Frazier (10). Senior Holland Martin led the Jags with 20 digs and junior Samantha Zittrauer with 25 assists.
AU returned Saturday to USC Aiken for two more matches against Converse University (0-8) and Coker University (2-6).
In Saturday’s first match, the Jaguars defeated the Valkyries in four sets. AU would dominate the first two sets by scores of 25-18 and 25-7. AU dropped the third set 25-21 but would come back and win the fourth set 25-17.
Senior Alexis Diaz-Infante led AU with 11 kills, along with seniors Dutton and Julie Archer with 10 each. Senior Brooklyn Holthaus led the Jags with 22 assists and 11 digs.
The Jaguars’ final match of the weekend against Coker was another dominant performance by AU, which they won in three sets.
Sophomore Ally Thees, AU’s transfer from Georgia State University, made her debut for the Jaguars with 9 assists, 2 aces and 3 digs.
“She came in at the end of first match and was able to seal it and was able to come in close out the last one as well; it was a big momentum thing for her,” said Quarles.
Martin led the match with 9 kills and 3 aces. Holland Martin finished with a team high 18 kills.
The Jaguars will next head to Milledgeville for the PBC/Gulf South Crossover. AU will play against West Alabama and Montevallo on Friday, Sept. 17, and Valdosta State on Saturday, Sept. 18.
Photo: At the top of the page, Holland Martin (14) bumps for the Jaguars in the Pacer Invitational as teammate Kiera Barr (5) watches. (photo by Chris Rickerson)
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
