MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The AUM women's volleyball team erased an early deficit and snapped a 7-match losing skid with a 3-2 victory over Montevallo at the AUM Athletics Complex on Thursday.
 
AUM (5-13, 2-7 Gulf South) won a 5-set match for the first time in five tries this season and claimed just the fourth victory in program history after losing the first two sets. The last time it happened came in 2022 when they accomplished it twice. 
 
The Warhawks got another strong performance out of Maya Thompson – 20 kills and five blocks – but saw the improved play of freshmen Elise Fulgham and Courtney Joseph. Fulgham had a career-high 13 kills to go with three blocks and Joseph added six kills with no errors and was in one six blocks.
 
AUM collected 11 blocks and held UM to .147 hitting. Five different Warhawks had at least nine digs in the match.
 
UM (8-12, 5-5) had won three of its last four and its last three road matches. AUM has now won five of the last six in the series as well. Nikol Antova had a match-high 21 kills. She posted six on eight swings in the first set before being held to 15 on 46 swings with 11 errors – .087pct. – the rest of the contest.
 
Set 1
AUM hit .262 with 18 kills but committed five service errors, allowing UM to get back into the set. The Warhawks led 15-13 before the Falcons rattled off seven-consecutive points for a 20-15 lead. AUM battled back to tie it at 24 before falling 26-24. Thompson had six kills for AUM.
 
Set 2
With AUM leading 6-3, UM took the lead by scoring the next eight points. The Warhawks pulled within two at 17-15, but the Falcons won 25-17, riding the strength of five service aces and four blocks.
 
Set 3
The Warhawks put on a defensive clinic in the third, recording six blocks and induced 11 attack errors en route to a 25-15 win. UM got out to a 6-4 lead in the third before AUM recorded eight-straight, led by three kills from Fulgham. The Orange and Black extended the margin to 23-14.
 
Set 4
AUM led from the outset in the fourth frame before UM tied it at 18-18. The Warhawks called timeout and scored the next three points to regain control, forcing the fifth set with a 25-21 decision.
 
Set 5
AUM came out strong in the fifth, grabbing leads of 5-1 and 8-4. But Montevallo battled back and took a 13-12 lead on a long rally. A Kendall McCain kill and an attack error by Antova set the Warhawks up for match point. UM forced a sideout and the teams traded the next two points. AUM got a Thompson kill and won it on UM's 33rd attack error of the match, winning 17-15.
 
UP NEXT
AUM returns to action on Friday night against Alabama Huntsville (17-2, 8-1). The match will begin at 6 p.m. and fans are encouraged to wear pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.
   
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