JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University volleyball team defeated Auburn University at Montgomery 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23) late Friday night and into the early minutes of Saturday morning. Union improved to 2-0, while AUM dropped to 1-1.
This match was the final match of Friday's action in the Union University Classic. Five matches are scheduled for Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. Union will play at 1 p.m. versus Upper Iowa and then at 5:30 p.m. versus Tusculum.
Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set. AUM rallied to take a 6-5 lead. Union answered with three straight points and did not trail the rest of the set. Union led by as many as five points, 17-12, before settling for the 25-21 set one victory.
A kill from Union newcomer Anna Edwards started the second set. Union again started hot, leading 5-1 early. AUM tied the game several times including the final time at 16-16. Union then outscored AUM 9-3 to close out the set, 25-19. That run included kills from Carleigh Charles, Sydney Davis (3), Parker Goff (2), and Anna Edwards. Also two service aces, one from Caileigh Collins and then Goff's ace was the 25th point.
For the first time in the match, AUM scored first to open set number three. The teams went back and forth the whole way until it was 20-20. AUM stayed alive with five straight points.
In the fourth set, AUM scored first again, but Union rattled off five of the next six points. AUM and Union battled the entire set going back and forth. Union led 23-20 late. AUM scored three straight to tie the set. Union then got a kill from Charles, and then an out-of-bounds attack from AUM sealed the match victory for the Lady Bulldogs.
Union led AUM in kills, 60-43 and 5-3 in blocks. However, it was Union serving that put Union over the top, recording 13 aces in the match to just four for AUM.
Charles led Union with 15 kills, while Carly Edwards added 12 and Goff 11. Isabella Messer led with five aces, Anna Edwards and Julia Stuible with two blocks each, Kyle Creech with 28 assists, and Messer with 20 digs. Goff finished off her double-double with 10 digs.
-UNION-
