PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team kicked off Hawktoberfest 2024 weekend with a 3-0 sweep over Middle Georgia State on Friday.  
UT Southern (6-11, 3-6) gave up the opening point to the visitors from Cochran but ran off the 18 of the next 20 quieting the Knights early. The marathon of a run was powered by eight kills, four from Sophia Ortega and four from Emma Beardsley. With the 1-0 set lead, MGSU started out with a 3-0 lead. UTS would blaze back to tie the match at nine. The Firehawks put together a 16-7 run to take a two-set lead. The run was led by Ortega (4 kills), Laura Howell (2 kills), and Olivia Ward (2 kills). In the final set, both teams traded the lead in the early going, but two pivotal runs by the Firehawks created the space they needed to close out the match.
STAT LEADERS
Kills: Sophia Ortega – 15 on 29 attempts
Assists: Laura Howell – 34
Digs: Isabella Garza – 24
MILESTONE WATCH
ASSISTS – Senior Laura Howell is closing in on 3,000 career assists. After her 34 helpers tonight, she has 2,904 career assists heading into tomorrows match with Brewton Parker. She is averaging 27.5 assists per game
KILLS – Seniors Morgan Avrit and Sophia Ortega both are closing in on 1,000 kills as a Firehawk. Avrit currently has 825 and averages just under nine kills a match. Ortega leads the Firehawks in kills this season with 200 kills. She has 734 kills at UTS averaging 12 terminations per match.
NEXT UP
The Firehawks will close out Hawktoberfest weekend, hosting Brewton-Parker on Saturday, October 19^th. First serve at the Curry Athletic Complex is set for two p.m.
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