Jags return from 2-0 deficit to outlast Queens and remain lossless on the weekend

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The GRU Augusta women's volleyball team won three straight 3-0 matches, before outlasting tourney-host Queens 3-2 in the 2015 Queens University of Charlotte Fall Volleyball Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

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The Jaguars (4-0) started the event with two-straight 3-0 victories over Lenoir-Rhyne and Mount Olive in day one of the tourney on Friday. In day two, GRU continued the momentum with their third consecutive shut-out victory over the Catawba Indians. GRU opened with Catawba and endured a close 25-21 first set. The Jags fired 19 kills on five errors in set one and posted a .424 attack percentage.

The Jags had their closest match with the Indians in set two and prevailed 25-23 before holding on 25-21 again in set three to seal the win. Sophomore Kali Boatwright posted a career-high 20 kills in the win and had only two errors, while adding seven digs.

Senior Kailla Baptiste posted seven kills and junior-transfer Jordan Bickett and sophomore Paige Elliott provided six each. Leading all players with 44 assists, senior Alyssa Latham also provided three aces and four digs.

Tournament-host Queens met GRU in the fourth match of the tourney and took the first two sets to break the Jags' stride. The Queens Royals outlasted GRU 25-22 in set one and won an extended second-match 26-24.

Down 2-0 to the Royals in the match, the Jags returned to form and won back-to-back sets 25-15 and 25-20 to force a fifth and final set. The Jags out-killed Queens 27-22 in the final two matches and won the fifth set 18-16 to take the day from the Royals on their home court.

A .224 attack percentage helped the Jags prevail past Queens who posted a .175 mark in the match. Junior Rachel Windle paced GRU with 12 kills and senior Kailla Baptiste and freshman Savanna Gonzales each provided 11. Queens had 12 blocks to GRU's seven, but a productive offense in sets four and five gave GRU the edge.

Latham had 45 assists and the Jags shared the digs column with libero Cat DeSilvester bringing down 19, Boatwright 16, Latham 15, and junior-newcomer JaNhea Beisner 12.

The Jaguars host Anderson on Tuesday, Sept. 8 for the 2015 home opener in Christenberry Fieldhouse at 7:00 p.m. The first 150 GRU students to bring a valid JagCard will receive free Papa John's pizza.

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