Box Score Augusta, Ga. – The Augusta University Volleyball team fell to the Francis Marion Patriots 3-1 in a conference contest. The Jags drop to 18-7 on the year and are now 3-3 in conference play. The Patriots improve to 14-9, while moving to 2-3 in Peach Belt match-ups.
The offensive leaders for the Jags were Nicolette Ramos with 16 kills, Chloe Allen with 13, and Madison Malloch with 11 kills. Jessica Hedrick had the top hitting percentage at .316, followed by Ramos' .273. Kassie Till dished out a team leading 51 assists, while Julianne Saliba accounted for the team's lone service ace.
On the defensive side of the ball, Holland Martin led the squad with 26 digs, followed by Kylie Martin's 16.
Both Allen and Till picked up double-doubles for the match with till's 11 digs pairing with her assists total and Allen's 10 digs pairing with her kill count.
In the first set Augusta found themselves behind 14-10 halfway through, prompting the squad to burn its first timeout. The teams traded points right out of the break. With the score 17-14, the Patriots picked up four of the next five to take a 21-15 lead and forced the Jags to call another timeout. Again the teams would trade points and, with the score 23-18, the Patriots saw fit to take a timeout of their own to prevent a Jag run. The stoppage had the reverse effect however, as Augusta battled to make it 24-22 forcing another timeout from the visitors. The comeback would be cut short though, as the patriots notched the set win on the next point from break, 25-22.
For the second set the Jaguars again fell behind early, this time dropping seven of the first 10. Augusta would battle back into it though, tying the score at 8-8. Francis Marion would go on a 4-0 run however, forcing the Jags to take a timeout. The Patriots continued to hold their four point advantage as the set progressed until the Jags put together back to back scores to make it 18-16, causing the visitors to take a timeout to stem the flow. Francis Marion regained their four point lead, making it 21-17 out of the break. Point tradeoffs continued as the Patriots closed the door on the set 25-20.
Third set saw Augusta open the scoring with the first point. Starting off with the first point helped the Jags establish and early 8-5 lead and, with all the momentum going their way, forced the Patriots to take a timeout. The visitors battled back into the set, making it a one score game at 11-10, but the Jaguars stood strong, holding the lead at the halfway mark 14-12. As the set progressed, Augusta slowed the pace down, taking full control of the set and closing it out 25-17 to stave off defeat.
In the fourth set the Jaguars again would open the scoring. Francis Marion would take the lead early though, but the Jaguars kept it close at 6-4. The Patriots took a four point lead at the halfway mark and managed to hold it as the Jaguars burned a timeout. It would prove fruitless however, as the Patriots dominated the rest of the set, winning by a score of 25-17.
Augusta returns to action on October 29th, when they hit the road to take on Emmanuel at 7:00 p.m.
