VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State volleyball team defeated Albany State 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-8, 29-27) Tuesday evening at The Complex, ending a successful three-game home stretch for the Blazers.

With the win, VSU improved to 11-4 while ASU fell to 9-9 on the year. The 11-4 start for the Blazers marks the best start for the team since 2015 when the team started 13-2 through fifteen matchups.

In the first set of the evening, the Blazers rushed out to a quick 8-3 lead, capped off by a service ace from junior Christina Pettigrew. However, the Golden Rams proved they were not going to be discouraged, striking back with a 6-0 run to take a 9-8 lead.

Albany State scored a few more points, taking a 12-10 advantage before the Blazers tallied three straight points to take the lead back, 13-12. ASU scored a quick point to tie things up at 13-13 as the Blazer offense then took off for three more points, going up 16-13.

For the remainder of the set, Valdosta State kept a safe two-to-three-point advantage over the Golden Rams as junior Mackenzie Murray sealed the set with a decisive kill to take set one, 25-22. The Blazers delivered a match-high 19 kills with only six errors, hitting .310 for the set.

Valdosta State began the second set with a narrow 3-1 run over the Golden Rams before ASU struck back, scoring three straight points to take a 4-3 lead over the Blazers in a flash. The Blazers and Golden Rams continued to trade the lead back and forth until the match was knotted up at 7-7. From there, Albany State climbed out to an 11-8 lead following a few VSU miscues.

ASU continued to hold its lead until VSU scored four-straight to squeak back in front, 14-13. However, the Golden Rams answered back with a 5-0 rally to take a four-point lead, 18-14. Albany State remained in front until a kill from Murray kickstarted a 4-0 run to tie things up, 21-21. The Golden Rams then began to pull away, outscoring the Blazers 4-1 to take set two, 25-22.

The third set looked to be another close affair at first glance as the set began tied 2-2. However, Valdosta State went on a season-high 15-point rally to take a massive 17-2 lead.

With graduate student Mallory Roney serving, the Blazers delivered seven total kills and two service aces throughout the run. The Golden Rams would attempt to get things going but were cut short time and time again with ASU’s biggest rally for the set being 3-0. VSU ended up taking the set 25-8 after Murray sealed the set once again, delivering the final kill. Valdosta State hit a match-high .448 in the third set with 15 kills and two miscues while Albany State had two kills and seven errors, hitting -.172 in the set.

The Golden Rams looked to strike back in the fourth set, rushing out to a 3-0 lead. However, the Blazer offense got going, outscoring ASU 4-1, to pull ahead 5-4. VSU and ASU began to trade blows with neither team looking to let up until the Blazers began to inch ahead, 13-9.

From there, Valdosta State went on a mini 3-1 run to take a six-point lead over Albany State, 16-10. However, the Golden Rams were not deterred, outscoring the Blazers 4-2 before going on a six-point run to rip the lead back, 20-18. The Blazers responded with a 3-0 rally of their own, taking a narrow 21-20 lead before ASU and VSU were once again trading blows back and forth.

The set became knotted up at 27-27 until a timely kill from Murray and an attack error from ASU gave VSU the set four win and the match victory, 29-27.