BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The University of Tennessee Southern volleyball team split its opening day at the Vette City Classic on Friday, defeating Indiana University East in four sets before dropping a competitive three-set match to the University of Pikeville.
The Firehawks opened the day with a 3-1 victory over Indiana East, winning by scores of 25-23, 16-25, 25-21, and 25-16. UT Southern followed with a hard-fought battle against Pikeville, falling 25-22, 25-19, 26-24 despite pushing the Bears to the limit throughout the match.
Ashlee Kraft and Meloise Aureyre paced the Firehawk offense throughout the day, combining for 52 kills across the two matches.
UT Southern 3, Indiana East 1
The Firehawks bounced back from an uneven second set to secure their second win of the season against the Grenadiers.
Kraft led all players with 17 kills and added 16 digs for a double-double, while Meloise Aureyre posted 13 kills, 18 digs, and two service aces. Jelleny Mallozzi directed the offense with 35 assists, and Ashley Cope anchored the back row with 20 digs.
UT Southern showcased a balanced attack as Emma Beardsley added seven kills and three service aces, while Olivia Ward contributed five kills on an impressive .556 hitting percentage. The Firehawks finished with a .188 team hitting percentage and recorded seven service aces in the victory.
Pikeville 3, UT Southern 0
The Firehawks battled one of the tournament's toughest teams in the afternoon finale but were unable to complete several late-set rallies.
Despite the final score, UT Southern remained within striking distance throughout the match. The Firehawks trailed by just three points in the opening set and forced extra points in the third before Pikeville escaped with a 26-24 victory to complete the sweep.
Meloise Aureyre turned in one of her strongest performances as a Firehawk, recording 13 kills on a .480 hitting percentage while adding three service aces and nine digs. Kraft added nine kills and three aces, while Beardsley chipped in six kills and nine digs.
Mallozzi continued her strong start to the season with 27 assists and eight digs. At the net, Amree Patterson and Olivia Ward combined for 11 block assists as UT Southern finished with 15 total blocks.
By the Numbers
Up Next
The Firehawks conclude play at the Vette City Classic on Saturday with matches against Campbellsville University and Union Commonwealth University. First serve against Campbellsville is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., followed by a 2 p.m. matchup with Union Commonwealth.
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