MARIETTA, Ga. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team (6-4, 2-3 SSAC) earned a hard-fought 3-1 road victory over Life University (8-6, 3-3 SSAC) Friday evening at the Upper Gym. The Firehawks won by set scores of 25-18, 26-24, 20-25, 26-24.
UT Southern Player Highlights
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Irby Norris led the attack with 11 kills, hitting .240, while adding 12 points and a solo block.
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Ashlee Kraft contributed 10 kills, 3 service aces, and 14 total points, showing her all-around impact.
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Emma Beardsley added 7 kills, a block solo, and 11 points, while hitting a team-best .269.
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Jelleny Mallozzi ran the offense with 21 assists and chipped in 4 kills, 6 digs, and 6.0 points.
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Amree Patterson anchored the defense at the net with 9 block assists, totaling 8.5 points.
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Isabella Garza posted a team-high 13 digs to keep plays alive.
As a team, UT Southern finished with 38 kills, 6 aces, and 16 total blocks, while hitting .172.
Set-by-Set Summary
Set 1 – UT Southern 25, Life 18
The Firehawks came out strong, opening an 18-13 lead after a block by Beardsley and Patterson. Kraft and Norris closed the door with late kills to secure the opener, hitting an impressive .433 in the frame.
Set 2 – UT Southern 26, Life 24
Life appeared to have control late with a 23-20 advantage, but UT Southern stormed back. Kraft sparked the rally with a kill, followed by a service ace to tie the set. Beardsley sealed the comeback with a kill, and Kraft closed it out with an ace for the 2-0 match lead.
Set 3 – Life 25, UT Southern 20
Life flipped momentum behind Jade Watson and Paola Vega. Despite Norris and Beardsley trying to rally UTS, the Running Eagles controlled the net late, holding UTS to -.062 hitting in the frame.
Set 4 – UT Southern 26, Life 24
The Firehawks looked in control with a 15-9 lead, but Life clawed back to tie it 17-17. Both teams traded points down the stretch, but big blocks from Patterson and Beardsley, followed by a match-clinching point off a Watson error, secured the Firehawk victory.
Team Stats by Set
| Set |
UT Southern K-E-TA (%) |
Life K-E-TA (%) |
| 1 |
14-1-30 (.433) |
10-9-33 (.030) |
| 2 |
9-4-29 (.172) |
18-11-39 (.179) |
| 3 |
6-8-32 (-.062) |
14-6-36 (.222) |
| 4 |
9-4-31 (.161) |
15-10-35 (.143) |
Next Match
The Firehawks continue SSAC play on the road Saturday, September 27, when they face Brewton-Parker Christian.
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