AIKEN, SC. – Despite dropping the first set, the Auburn University at Montgomery volleyball team improved to 2-0 on the young season with a commanding 3-1 win over Augusta to finish day one of the USC Aiken Invitational.

The Warhawks win their first two games for the second time in program history, with the other instance coming in the shortened 2020-21 spring season.

AUM shared the love offensively against the Jags, three players, Nyah Whittlesey, Carla Butler, and Keren Santana, tied for the team lead with 13 kills each. Whittlesey was the lone Warhawk to record a double-double in the contest.

Whittlesey's 11 digs was second in the match to Berkleigh Davidson's 12, which led the Warhawks in the win against the Jags. Additionally, Isadora Nicolai added 42 assists and two service aces and was one dig shy of a double-double.

Augusta jumped out to a hot start against the Warhawks in the first set, gaining an early 9-5 advantage over the Orange & Black. Kills from Whittlesey and Maria Nicolau stopped the bleeding momentarily in the middle stages of the first set, but the Jags pulled away, taking the opening frame 25-16.

AUM flipped the script on Augusta in set two, racing out to a 10-4 lead after a service ace from Santana. After more pressure from the Warhawks that pushed the lead to 16-9 after another Nicolau kill, AUM fought off a late push from the Jags to even the score at 1-1 after winning the second set 25-23.

The third set saw Augusta capture a 3-2 lead, but an early onslaught of Warhawk offense and a kill from Ylenia De Mango pushed the AUM lead to 8-4 early in set three. A push from the Jags cut the Warhawk lead down to 11-10, but AUM was able to respond with five of the next six points to take a 17-12 lead, and an eventual 25-17 set win.

The Warhawks were determined to put the Jags down after a dominant third set. Kills from Santana, De Mango, and Whittlesey push the AUM lead to 11-2 early in the fourth period. Augusta would not go away quietly, however, as they cut the lead down to 15-12 before AUM pulled away with a 25-20 win.

AUM will wrap up the USC Aiken Invitational with two more matches. The Warhawks are scheduled to play Lincoln Memorial at 11 a.m. before concluding the tournament with a showdown against UNC Pembroke at 2 p.m.

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