MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team's 2026 season came to an end Friday afternoon as the Firehawks fell to Life University 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-19) in their final pool-play match of the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. The Firehawks conclude the year with a 12-18 overall record after earning the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament.
UT Southern opened the afternoon with one of its strongest sets of the tournament, overcoming a late deficit to claim a 25-23 victory and seize the early advantage.
The Firehawks received strong offensive performances from Emma Beardsley and Meloise Aureyre, who each finished with 14 kills. Beardsley added 11 digs, two service aces, and three block assists to record a double-double, while Aureyre chipped in seven digs and three service aces.
Senior Ashlee Kraft closed out her Firehawk career with a double-double, totaling 10 kills and a team-high 18 digs. The First-Team All-SSAC selection helped keep UT Southern competitive throughout the match while anchoring both the offense and defense.
Sophomore setter Jelleny Mallozzi capped her standout season with another double-double, tallying 36 assists and 10 digs. The Second-Team All-SSAC honoree also added three kills, a service ace, and four block assists while directing the Firehawk offense.
Ashley Cope contributed 15 digs and a service ace from the back row, while Amree Patterson recorded five kills and six block assists. Olivia Ward added three kills, a service ace, and three block assists as UT Southern finished with 64 digs and eight service aces.
After dropping the opening set, Life responded with a narrow 25-23 victory in the second to even the match. The Runnin' Eagles carried that momentum into the third set, pulling away late for a 25-17 win before closing out the contest with a 25-19 decision in the fourth.
Despite the result, the Firehawks continued to battle throughout the match, finishing with 49 kills and 64 digs against one of the conference's top teams.
Match Notes
The Firehawks conclude the 2026 season after earning the No. 6 seed in the SSAC Championship and finishing 8-8 in conference play. The season featured several notable accomplishments, including First-Team All-SSAC honors for Ashlee Kraft, Second-Team All-SSAC selections for Jelleny Mallozzi and Meloise Aureyre, and SSAC Assistant Coach of the Year recognition for Samantha Nichols.
UT Southern also closed the regular season with victories in three of its final four conference matches, highlighted by home wins over Loyola University New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana during Homecoming Weekend before qualifying for postseason play.
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