PULASKI, Tenn. – The UT Southern volleyball team closed its home slate in style Saturday afternoon with a 3–1 (25–23, 21–25, 25–16, 25–18) win over Brewton-Parker Christian University at the Curry Athletic Complex. The match doubled as Senior Day, honoring veterans Isabella Garza, Nathaly Taylor, and Emma Price for their leadership and impact on the program.
Before first serve, Garza was also recognized for reaching an impressive milestone — 1,000 career digs, achieved on October 24 against Loyola (La.) in New Orleans.
Match Recap
The Firehawks overcame a sluggish start in the opening set as Brewton-Parker jumped out to an early lead behind a string of service aces. UT Southern quickly found its rhythm midway through the set, led by the steady hands of setter Jelleny Mallozzi and the offensive power of Ashlee Kraft and Amree Patterson. Kills from Kraft and Emma Beardsley, combined with key defensive stops from Garza and Nathaly Taylor at the net, fueled a comeback run that carried the Firehawks to a hard-fought 25–23 opening-set win.
The second set saw Brewton-Parker respond with renewed energy, taking advantage of several unforced errors by UTS. Despite early aces from Emma Harding and timely kills from Kraft, the Firehawks couldn't complete the late rally, dropping the frame 25–21 to even the match at one set apiece.
UT Southern regrouped and dominated the third set from the start. The Firehawks hit .250 in the frame, their most efficient of the afternoon, with Kraft continuing to find success on the outside and Patterson anchoring the middle with multiple blocks. Mallozzi directed a balanced attack, spreading the offense to Olivia Ward and Irby Norris as UTS cruised to a 25–16 win to regain control of the match.
With momentum firmly in their favor, the Firehawks came out strong in the fourth and decisive set. The front-line combination of Kraft, Beardsley, and Patterson consistently disrupted Brewton-Parker's attack, while Garza provided stability in the back row with several key digs to extend rallies. UTS maintained its poise down the stretch, closing out the match 25–18 to cap off a memorable Senior Day celebration and the team's final home match of the season.
Individual Highlights – UT Southern
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Ashlee Kraft – 18 kills, 3 blocks, 10 digs (.375 hitting), 20.5 points
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Amree Patterson – 8 kills, 9 block assists, 2 digs, 12.5 points
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Emma Beardsley – 9 kills, 8 digs, 2 block assists
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Jelleny Mallozzi – 24 assists, 2 aces, 7 digs
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Olivia Ward – 5 kills (.556), 3 digs, 1 block assist
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Emma Harding – 9 assists, 2 aces, 6 digs
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Isabella Garza – 11 digs, 7 assists, 1 ace
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Emma Price – 7 digs, 1 ace
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Nathaly Taylor – 2 block assists, 1 dig
Team Set Statistics
| Team |
Set 1 |
Set 2 |
Set 3 |
Set 4 |
Total Kills |
Hitting % |
Digs |
Blocks |
Aces |
| UT Southern |
15 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
46 |
.163 |
56 |
20 |
7 |
| Brewton-Parker |
10 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
36 |
.056 |
59 |
8 |
10 |
UT Southern improves to 12–9 overall and 8–6 in SSAC play.
The Firehawks close out their non-conference slate on Monday, November 3, at Oakwood University.
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