MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn University at Montgomery volleyball team honored seniors Sommer Rhea and Ariadne Borges prior to its 3-1 loss to Gulf South Conference opponent West Georgia on Tuesday night.  

NOTES
- The Warhawks fall to 16-14 on the year, with a 7-8 GSC record.
- West Georgia improves to 17-11 overall, with an 11-3 mark in conference action.
- The Wolves won the match 25-27, 25-19, 27-25, 25-23.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Nyah Whittlesey led the Warhawks in kills with 16.
- Carla Butler paced the Orange & Black in digs with 19. 
- Three Warhawks registered double-digit kills.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- West Georgia jumped out to an early 7-3 lead to start the match in Montgomery. The Warhawks would eventually respond by narrowing the lead down to 11-9 thanks to a kill from Rhea and multiple attack errors from the Wolves. The Warhawks continued their extended offensive efficiency into the latter stages of the first set. With AUM leading 17-16, the Orange & Black recorded three-straight points courtesy of two kills from Whittlesey and an attack error from West Georgia. The Wolves would come back to tie the match at 23 in the dying stages of the initial frame, but in the end it was the Warhawks who would take a 27-25 win.       
- Despite the Wolves jumping out to an early lead in the first set, the Warhawks were determined to end the trend, and the result was a back and forth second set. AUM led 8-7 when the Wolves went on their first major run of the set. West Georgia would take six of the next eight points to take a 13-10 stronghold. UWG led by as many as five late in the second set when the Wolves took a 20-15 lead. West Georgia put their foot on the gas and bested the Warhawks 25-19 to even the match at 1-1.     
- The third set featured the Orange & Black's offensive potential as AUM took a 6-4 lead. However, after the Warhawks took a two-point lead, the game reverted back to a back and forth affair. The match was tied at 14 before the Warhawks netted three-straight scores off attack errors from UWG. The frame would get out of hand for the Orange & Black as West Georgia took seven-straight points to take a 20-18 lead. The Warhawks made the third close and would even force extra time but the Wolves came away with a 27-25 win.
- Both sides shared the first 20 points of the final set as the Warhawks and Wolves were deadlocked at 10 points a side. The back and forth battle continued in the middle portion of the set, as a Giada Pais-Marden kill helped tie the match at 15. West Georgia started to pull away after they took seven of the next nine points to take a 22-17 lead over the Warhawks. AUM rallied late in the fourth set in an attempt to extend the match to a fifth and deciding set, but the Wolves killed the rally and took the final set 25-23.    

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- West Georgia had the advantage in kills 63-56.
- AUM held a slight edge in digs, 88-83.
- The Warhawks tallied 11 blocks to the Wolves' seven.   

QUOTING THE COACH
"I am honored for the opportunity to coach Sommer and Ari this fall," said head coach Flavia Siqueira. "These young ladies are going to be missed not only because of their ability to play volleyball at a high level, but also because they define what it truly means to be a student-athlete. I appreciate their dedication to our program on the court and in the classroom."

UP NEXT
AUM will close their regular-season schedule with a meeting against GSC opponent West Florida on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. This will be the final match before AUM plays their first game at the GSC Conference Tournament, also in Pensacola.
 
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