ROME, Ga. – The Auburn Montgomery volleyball team began the second half of Gulf South Conference play on Tuesday evening at Shorter University, suffering a 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-16) setback to the host Hawks.
 
NOTES
• AUM falls to 8-12 on the season, 1-8 in GSC action.
• Shorter improves to 12-8 with a 5-3 mark in league play
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Junior setter Carly Smart finished the contest with a match-high 26 assists while matching her personal-best in terminations with seven on a career-high .875 hitting percentage.
• Redshirt junior right-side hitter Kheala Roberts posted eight kills, eight digs and a pair of blocks.
• Junior middle blocker Brianna Garvin matched Roberts for the most kills on the team with eight and also finished with two blocks.
• Sophomore defensive specialist Haley Toler anchored the defense with 12 digs, followed by sophomore defensive specialist Kiana Yangson with nine.
• Freshman outside hitter Skylar Coppinger chipped in eight digs with seven kills.
• For Shorter, Tiffani Estep posted 10 kills, Alli Bell had 20 assists and Cheyenne McLemore boasted 23 digs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Shorter led the entire first frame, scoring the opening two points and used an early 8-0 run to create an 11-2 advantage. AUM managed to cut the deficit to three at 18-15 via a 3-0 spurt, but a 5-2 retort by the host recreated a six-point separation at 23-17.
• In similar fashion to the previous stanza, Shorter scored the opening two points and never trailed. The Warhawks kept the separation within three for the whole set and even orchestrated a late 3-1 run to make it a one-point affair at 24-23 before a Shorter point ended the frame.   
• Despite holding the home side to a match-low eight kills in the final frame, AUM could not overcome a 6-0 Shorter run midway through the set to avoid the sweep.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• AUM finished the match with 33 kills on a .125 hitting percentage versus 39 on a .220 clip for Shorter
• The Warhawks held a slim 49-48 advantage in digs.
• Both teams recorded four blocks.
• Shorter boasted eight service aces in the match while AUM finished with two.
 
UP NEXT
AUM ventures to Montevallo, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 21 for a tri-match with Montevallo and Spring Hill College.
 
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