JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University volleyball team defeated Shorter University 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) Saturday at Fred DeLay Gymnasium, David Blackstock Court. Union improved to 10-4 overall and 3-0 in the Gulf South Conference. Shorter dropped to 6-8 on the season and 1-1 in league play. 

The story of the day was senior libero Sydney Sample surpassing 1,000 career digs. She needed 13 entering the match and recorded 14. 

Shorter scored the first four points, but Union quickly responded with a 5-0 run to give the Lady Bulldogs its first lead of the set. The teams went back and forth for a while with Shorter taking a 12-9 lead. Union responded again, this time with seven straight points to take the lead for good, 16-12. Union closed out the set with six straight points for the win. Union led the entire way in set number two and kept that momentum going for set number three. Union scored the first five points of the final set, leading the entire way. 

Union hit .221 in the match, while Shorter hit just .026. Union led in kills 34-28, aces, 6-3, blocks 8-2, assists, 33-25, and digs, 56-51. 

Emily Grace Calhoon led with 12 kills and Lauren Burrell led with five aces. Sidney Hegg led with five blocks and Sample's 14 digs were tops on the team. Jordan Vick had her streak of four straight double-doubles snapped today, but still led with 29 assists and had eight digs. 

Up next for Union will be a couple of GSC road matches at Valdosta State and West Georgia, Friday and Saturday, September 23 and 24. 

-UNION-