MARIETTA, Ga. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team battled throughout Friday night's Southern States Athletic Conference matchup but fell to Life University 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 25-15) at the Upper Gym.
The Firehawks moved to 7-13 overall and 3-4 in SSAC play following the loss.
UT Southern turned in a strong offensive effort, totaling 50 kills and hitting .261 as a team. However, Life answered with 52 kills and a .330 attack percentage to secure the conference victory.
Ashlee Kraft led the Firehawk attack with 16 kills, four service aces, and a .367 hitting percentage. Meloise Aureyre added nine kills and two service aces, while Emma Beardsley contributed eight kills and five block assists.
Sophomore setter Jelleny Mallozzi directed the offense with 29 assists while adding three kills on a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage, two service aces, and five digs. Olivia Ward turned in an efficient performance with five kills on a .400 hitting percentage, while Amree Patterson contributed five block assists.
The opening set was tightly contested from start to finish, featuring four ties and a lead change before Life escaped with a 25-23 victory.
UT Southern responded emphatically in the second set, producing one of its best offensive frames of the season. The Firehawks hit .500 and recorded 15 kills while cruising to a 25-16 victory to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set proved to be the turning point. Neither team could create much separation in a frame that featured 10 ties and three lead changes, but Life used a late push to secure a 25-20 win and regain the match advantage.
Life carried that momentum into the fourth set, hitting .393 while holding the Firehawks to a .091 attack percentage to close out the match with a 25-15 victory.
Defensively, Ashley Cope led UT Southern with nine digs, while Kraft, Mallozzi, and Beardsley each added five digs. The Firehawks also recorded 13 total blocks and nine service aces.
Match Notes
Up Next
UT Southern concludes its Georgia road trip on Saturday afternoon when the Firehawks travel to West Point to face Point University in another SSAC contest.
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