PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team welcomed Blue Mountain Christian, two-time defending Southern States Athletic Conference champs, to the CAC on Friday. The Firehawks swept the Toppers in straight sets.
UT Southern (5-6, 2-2) started on fire and continued to smolder throughout the match. The Firehawks began the match with a 9-3 run powered by kills from Morgan Avrit, Sophia Ortega, Emma Beardsley, and Olivia Ward. After a Topper timeout, the home team ran 16 of the final 27 first set points to stun BMC. UTS out terminated the visitors from the magnolia state 13-8 and out hit them 32.1%-10.3%. In the second set, the Toppers got off the mat and traded points with the Firehawks. With the score 24-23, the Firehawks took a two-set lead on a Blue Mountain Christian service error. Seeking the first sweep over BMC since the 2019 SSAC Championship tournament, the Firehawks started the third set just like the first. The Toppers trailed 9-12 when the home team authored a 10-7 run to cruise to a win.lost the opening 13 points as UM cruised to a first set win.
STAT LEADERS
Kills: Sophia Ortega – 15 on 36 attacks
            Olivia Ward – 10 on 22 swings
Assists: Laura Howell – 36
Digs: Morgan Avrit – 15
            Isabella Garza – 14
            Laura Howell – 10
NEXT UP
The Firehawks will travel to "the Gump", Montgomery, Ala., to battle Faulkner in an SSAC matchup on Friday, September 27^th. The first serve between the Firehawks and Eagles is scheduled for six p.m.
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