ROME, Ga. — Augusta volleyball came through in three tightly contested sets Tuesday night, sweeping Shorter 25-19, 27-25 and 30-28 in a nonconference road match at the Winthrop-King Centre.
The match featured 36 ties and 24 lead changes, but the Jaguars delivered late in each set to secure the victory.
Augusta trailed 18-15 in the opener before taking control behind the service of Nikol Antova. The Jaguars scored 10 of the final 11 points, including three consecutive Antova aces, to win the set 25-19.
The Jaguars built an 18-10 advantage in the second before Shorter rallied to move ahead 19-18. Augusta later fought off set point at 24-25 and scored the final three points, closing the frame on a kill by Emma Haren and a Shorter attacking error.
The third set included 16 ties and eight lead changes. Facing a 24-21 deficit, Augusta responded with a kill by Andrea Rodríguez followed by three straight kills from Antova to move ahead 25-24. The teams continued trading points until kills by Sofiia Snitsarevych and Haren finished the match, 30-28.
Antova recorded a double-double with 11 kills and a match-high 16 digs. She also finished with four service aces and one solo block.
Essence Jones added seven kills, while Haren and Molly McDonald contributed six apiece. Angela Mateos put down five kills on .400 hitting and recorded two solo blocks. Snitsarevych added five kills, three aces and two solo blocks.
Kinley Nicholls handed out 16 assists, and Rodríguez finished with 13 assists. Augusta held an 11-2 advantage in service aces.
The Jaguars improve to 9-16 overall while remaining 5-6 in Peach Belt Conference play. Augusta returns to conference action Friday, Oct. 30, beginning a two-match road series at Lander. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Greenwood, South Carolina.
