MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery volleyball team stayed undefeated at the inaugural AUM Volleyball Invitational on Saturday, defeating Limestone College 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-7, 25-19) and region rival Tuskegee University 3-0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-15) on Saturday on the campus of the Warhawks.
 
NOTES
• AUM improves to 4-2 on the season with the pair of wins.
• Limestone fell to 1-1 while Tuskegee fell to 0-4.
• The Warhawks defeated LeMoyne-Owen College on Friday evening, finishing the weekend with a record of 3-0.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Senior Brianna Garvin 24 kills over two matches.
• Junior Sommer Rhea posted 20 kills on the day, tallying 10 kills in each match.
• Senior setter Carly Smart notched a season-high 43 assists in the match against the Saints while tallying 26 against the Golden Tigers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – LIMESTONE COLLEGE
• The first saw the two teams trade points back and forth until they battled to a 10-10 tie. Kills by Jaylyn Felder, Carly Smart and Sommer Rhea gave AUM a three-point advantage but then LC responded with three points of their own to tie it up at 13-13. AUM managed to take a 20-18 lead on a kill by Felder before finishing the set on a 5-1 run to earn the 25-19 victory.
• Once again the two teams traded points until the Warhawks were able to take a 14-10 lead on a Nyah Whittlesey kill. Limestone would claw its way back into the contest and would tie the set an 18-18 with a kill by KayCee Tessitore. AUM would regain the lead at 20-18 before the Saints rallied for seven consecutive points to take the set 25-20.
• AUM was all business in the third set, taking a commanding 12-3 lead. After a side out the Warhawks would rally for nine points before LC was able to break serve. The Orange & Black would win the set 25-7 with junior Jordan Briskey finishing off the frame with a kill from Smart.
• The fourth set was much more competitive than the third, with AUM scratching out an 11-10 advantage. The Warhawks would rally four five consecutive points before the Saints could break serve and inch their way back. Limestone cut the AUM advantage to 21-19 before the Warhawks rallied for five consecutive points to take the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – LIMESTONE COLLEGE
• AUM tallied a season-best 58 kills while LC posted 41.
• Smart tallied 43 of AUM's 55 assists while the Saints Mia Bergan recorded 34 of LC's 38 assists.
• The match featured 15 tie scores and six lead changes.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
• The Golden Tigers jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first set before AUM was able to tie the game at 9-9 on a kill by Garvin. The two teams traded points back and forth until Rhea put the Warhawks up 19-17 on a kill that stopped a TU three-point rally. AUM then went on a six-point rally to close out the frame 25-17.
• AUM ran out to a 14-3 advantage in the second set, capped off by a Rhea kill from Smart. The Golden Tigers broke the serve but could not sustain the momentum as AUM would take the set 25-9 on a service ace by Skylar Coppinger.
• The third set saw the two teams battle to an 11-11 tie. The Orange & Black then pushed forward for a 15-11 advantage before TU cut the lead to three on a kill by Crystal Hall. AUM would then finish the frame on a 10-2 run to claim the set 25-15 and the match 3-0.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
• AUM tallied 36 kills as a team while hitting for a .385 clip as a team.
• The Warhawks tallied eight blocks as a team while TU posted one.
• The match featured 12 tie scores and seven lead changes.
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will take part in the 2018 Huntingdon Invitational next weekend beginning with a match against North Carolina Wesleyan on Friday at noon on the campus of Huntingdon College.   
 
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