VALDOSTA —
On Tuesday night, Valdosta State’s volleyball team pushed the top team in the Gulf South Conference, No. 19 West Florida, to five sets, before finally falling 15-25, 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 15-7.
The Argonauts improved to 15-1 in conference play and 22-7 overall, while the Blazers dropped to 17-13 and 8-8 in the Gulf South.
Valdosta State started the match on fire, hitting .405 in the first set, with just one error, en route to a 25-15 win. The Blazer defense held West Florida to just 10 kills, six errors and an .089 hitting percentage in the first set.
The Argonauts righted the ship in the second set, winning 25-20. West Florida hit .324, while VSU dropped its percentage to .143. The Blazers hit just .062 in the third set, as West Florida went on to gain a 2-1 advantage with a 25-18 win.
Trying to survive in the fourth set, Valdosta State caught fire late. The Blazers rallied from a 19-17 deficit and won the set 25-23.
Unfortunately for VSU, the fifth set did not go its way. The Blazers hit a match low minus-.130 in the final set, with seven errors. Valdosta State fell behind 5-0, and that deficit was too much to overcome.
Tania Tauiliili put together a strong match, tallying 15 kills and a team high .393 hitting percentage, with two service aces and two blocks. Katie Onushko led the squad in kills with 17 and doubled up with 17 digs.
Chelsea Luttfring led all players with 19 digs, while Ashley Lala also double-doubled with 15 digs and 46 assists. Destiny Berry was in on six blocks, as the Blazers outblocked West Florida 9-7.
For West Florida, it was Jenny Bellairs leading the way with 16 kills, while Autumn Duyn had 15. Sarah Scott added 10 kills. Setters K.C. Dobbins and Sierra Hanson combined for 60 assists. Dobbins added 17 digs to her 37 assists to lead UWF, while four others tallied double-digit digs.
Valdosta State will head to Pensacola, Fla. for the Gulf South Conference Tournament Nov. 16-18.
Local Sports
VSU volleyball falls to West Florida in 5 sets
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VSU eliminated
Valdosta State softball’s bid for a national title repeat came up short this season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament Saturday with a 7-5 loss in nine innings to Armstrong Atlantic University, a school based off the Georgia coast in Savannah. -
Win or go home
The Valdosta State softball team faces Armstrong Atlantic University in an elimination game for the 2013 Division II Softball Championship Tournament today at noon.
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HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
I haven’t written a column in quite some time, largely because there has been so much going on and we haven’t always had the space, nor have I felt up to it after writing so many other stories.
But today, I am writing this column and taking up the inches in the daily sports section and giving a little love to the upcoming football season. -
Blazers fall to Molloy in eight innings
With only one out remaining and trailing by three, the Molloy Lions strung together four hits to plate three runs in the seventh followed by another run in the eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State’s softball team 5-4 in the first round of the 2013 Division II Softball National Championship Tournament on Thursday in Salem, Va.
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Albritton, Johnson earn All-America honors
Valdosta State softball players Courtney Albritton and Morgan Johnson gathered multiple All-America honors late Wednesday night.
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Golfers take course for Wounded Warriors
Local patrons participated in the Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club in Valdosta on Thursday.
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Valwood football hosting 4-man scramble golf tourney
Head coach Ashley Henderson and the Valwood football team will be hosting a 4-man scramble golf tournament at Valdosta Country Club Friday, June 14.
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VHS football cheerleaders to host Junior Cheer Camp
The Valdosta High School football cheerleaders will be hosting a Junior Cheer Camp June 5 through June 7 at the W.G. Nunn Elementary School gymnasium.
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Gillespie, McPherson pleased with spring practices
Valdosta’s Rance Gillespie and Lowndes’ Randy McPherson both think their football teams got better during the recent 10 days of spring practice.
Then again, both coaches know their teams have a ways to go before the start of the football season. -
Signing day at VHS
It was signing day galore at Valdosta High School Wednesday.
Six student-athletes signed national letter of intents to compete at the next level, while two VHS athletes both signed academic scholarships to Division I universities. - More Local Sports Headlines
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