HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery volleyball team showed that it should not be taken lightly during its inaugural season, besting LeMoyne-Owen College in the program's first-ever match 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 28-26) on Friday afternoon in the UAH Classic.
NOTES
• With the victory, AUM improves to 1-0 on the season.
• LeMoyne-Owen drops to 0-1 on the year.
• Junior setter
Carly Smart posted the first kill in AUM history.
• The tandem of freshman middle blocker
Jedaiah Daniels and sophomore outside hitter
Tynesha McWilliams paired up for the first block in program history.
• Junior setter
Courtney Green served the program's first ace.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Smart posted the first double-double in program history with 27 assists and 13 digs, while adding seven kills on a .700 attack percentage.
• Freshman outside hitter
Skylar Coppinger paced the offense with nine kills and contributed five digs.
• Redshirt-freshman
Jaylyn Felder and Green each posted a pair of service aces in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After a slow start to the match, the Warhawks overcame an early deficit with an 8-1 rally to take a 9-5 advantage. AUM held onto a three-point lead or higher for the remainder of the stanza, holding LeMoyne-Owen to a .000 hitting percentage in the frame versus a .321 clip for the Warhawks
• AUM carried the momentum into the second set, scoring the opening two points and five of the first seven. LO responded with a 4-0 run to take a 6-5 advantage, but a 4-0 counter highlighted by three kills from Daniels put AUM back on top 9-6. The Magicians put together another four-point spree before back-to-back kills from Smart sparked five-consecutive points for the Warhawks to secure the lead.
• One set away from the first win in program history, AUM opened up the third set strong and created a 14-9 advantage midway through the frame. Lemoyne-Owen responded with its largest rally of the contest, stringing together six-consecutive points to take a 15-14 lead. AUM countered with four of the ensuing five points to retake the lead, but back-to-back points for the Magicians knotted up the score at 18-all. With the score tied at 23-23, Smart gave AUM its first set point with a kill. LO stayed in the contest with a kill to tie up the score again at 24-24, and fended off two more set points before kills from Coppinger and Smart ended the match.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• AUM finished its inaugural match with a .238 attack percentage while holding LeMoyne-Owen to a .082 clip.
• The Warhawks posted six service aces in the victory, versus five for the Magicians.
• LeMoyne-Owen held a 42-38 advantage in digs.
• Both sides finished the match with one assisted block
UP NEXT
AUM continues play in the UAH this afternoon when they take on Alabama Huntsville. First serve is slated for 3:30 p.m.