Jaguars' volleyball team seeking to rebound at Pacer Invitational
By Payton Willis | Sports writer
AIKEN, S.C.—The Augusta University volleyball team will play in the Pacer Invitational tournament on Sept. 2 and 3 at USC Aiken.
The Jaguars will face two opponents each day of the tournament. They will play North Greenville University at 11:30 a.m. and Francis Marion University at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2. The following day, the Jaguars will play against Auburn University Montgomery at 12:30 p.m. and the University of Mount Olive at 5:30 p.m.
According to Alex Diaz-Infante, the Jaguars’ senior middle blocker, the team has to get better at talking to one another on the court if the Jaguars want to have a successful tournament at USC Aiken.
“The main thing we need to improve on for the invitational is working on communication,” Diaz-Infante said. “Being able to communicate what you’re thinking, communicate effectively and actively listening to those communications is super important.”
Augusta started the 2021 season with eight matches in the Pacer Invitational, going 6-2 in 2021, and the Jaguars are hoping to match or beat that record this weekend.
Diaz-Infante said her goal for her final season this year is to go beyond the Elite Eight appearance of last season.
“I want a national championship,” she said. “I want to be in Seattle with my team winning it all in the end, but in general I just want to have fun with the girls I have been playing with for two and a half years and to head out of Augusta leaving it better than I found it.”
In the opening weekend of the season, in Lakeland, Fla., AU defeated Bloomfield 3-0, but the Jaguars lost to host Florida Southern and Lynn University, both in straight sets.
Diaz-Infante leads the team with 19 kills, followed by sophomore Jordan Jerome with 18 and freshman Abigail LeVines with 17. Sophomore Abigail Breeden leads with 39 assists, and senior Samantha Zittrauer has 38.
The Jaguars will be playing in the PBC/Gulf South Crossover on Friday, Sept. 9, and Saturday, Sept. 10, in Carrollton, Ga.
Contact Payton Willis at paywillis@augusta.edu.
