Box Score VALDOSTA, Ga. -  The Auburn University at Montgomery volleyball team got 21 kills from Alessia Cappai en route to a 3-1 win over Valdosta State University in the opening round of the Gulf South Conference tournament.

The tournament's No. 6 seed, the Warhawks won a back-and-forth match by a total of 13 points across the four sets. AUM now finds itself in the second round of the GSC tournament and draws a matchup against the No. 3 seed Mississippi College.
 
THE WARMUP
Score: AUM 3, VSU 1
Records: AUM: 16-17 (8-8 GSC) | VSU 14-19 (8-8 GSC)
Location: Valdosta, Ga. | The Complex
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HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warhawks built a trio of early four-point leads in the opening set before the Blazers moved within two points, 22-20.
• Back-to-back kills by Cappai and a Valdosta attack error finished off the set.
• Cappai tallied eight kills in the first set.
• Both teams battled early in the second set as AUM opened up a 13-9 lead.
• The Lady Blazers tied the second set 18-18 behind a 9-5 spurt of their own. 
• A pair of Kendall McCain kills pushed the AUM lead back to a pair before two Valdosta State service aces knotted the set at 21-21.
• Two Cappai kills, a service error by the Lady Blazers, and a service ace from McCain delivered a 25-22 second set win for AUM.
• VSU closed out the third set after two Warhawks attack errors 25-23 to force a fourth set.
• Another tightly contested set saw both teams battle to a 10-10 tie before an AUM timeout. 
• Three straight AUM kills, including two from McCain, helped the Warhawks build an 18-15 lead they did not give up to win the match 3-1.

STATS OF THE MATCH

• Cappai tallied a match-high 21 kills.
• McCain and Ylenia De Mango each totaled 10 kills for the Warhawks.
• Setter's Amber Bretwisch (27) and Savannah Sebek (15) combined for 42 assists, while Reann Cato had a match-best 19 digs.
• The two squad's combined for 34 blocks.
• The Lady Blazers had 12 service errors in the match.

WORDS FROM THE WARHAWKS
 
"Our team showed a ton of heart in tonight's match," said head coach Flavia Siqueira. "We have had so many bumps along the way as far as injuries. Every played that has stepped onto the court has tried their best. It has to be a team effort and it for us, and it was."

UP NEXT

The No. 6-seeded Warhawks advance to the second round of the GSC tournament in Pensacola, Fla., where they earn a matchup with No. 3 seed Mississippi College at 1:30 p.m.  
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