Southern Miss Falls to Clemson in Four Sets

Wednesday, November 10

Clemson, S.C.

5 p.m.

Southern Miss

-1117,39 CUSA

Clemson

12-14,3-11ACC

Southern Miss.

Clemson

Southern Miss Falls to Clemson in Four Sets

11/10/2021 6:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CLEMSON, S.C. -- The Golden Eagles fell to the Clemson Tigers in four frames (25-15, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20) at Jervey Gym on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Southern Miss concludes its 2021 campaign with a record of 11-17.

Mia Wesley and Lauren Talbert combined for 22 kills for the black and gold. Kenzie Smith dished out 34 assists and six kills with a hitting percentage of .545 for Southern Miss, while the defense racked up 66 digs throughout the match.

Set One, Southern Miss 15, Clemson 25: Southern Miss battled back from an 11-6 deficit to tighten the set at 14-12, following a strong block from Kinsley Hanback and Smith. The Golden Eagles continued to battle valiantly throughout the set, but fell to Clemson by a score of 25-15.

The Golden Eagles struggled to match the offensive output of the Tigers throughout the opening set, as Clemson posted 18 kills with a team hitting percentage of .368. Southern Miss recorded 10 kills, while Smith posted three kills on five attempts, seven assists and a block. The Golden Eagles backcourt tallied 14 digs in set one.

Set Two, Southern Miss 22, Clemson 25: The Golden Eagles erased an early Clemson lead with a 7-0 scoring run, which gave Southern Miss a 14-12 lead over the Tigers. The Golden Eagles kept Clemson's offense in check throughout most of the set, which was crucial for the black and gold.

However, Clemson battled back into the frame, taking a 2-0 lead in the match. A late 4-0 run from the Tigers sealed the set. Southern Miss recorded 12 kills in the frame led by Talbert's four on six attempts, while Smith distributed 10 assists for the Golden Eagles.

Set Three, Southern Miss 25, Clemson 21: Southern Miss put together a strong offensive set against the Tigers, picking up the third frame by a score of 25-21. The Golden Eagles hit efficiently throughout the set, recording 13 kills with a team hitting percentage of .357, while recording three total blocks to force a fourth set.

Wesley recorded four kills with a hitting percentage of .375, while Reagan Leinen and Smith added three kills each. Smith also dished out 10 assists for the second straight set, aiding in Southern Miss' efforts. The black and gold were anchored by 11 digs from seven different players, as the Golden Eagles trailed 2-1 heading into the fourth set.

Set Four, Southern Miss 20, Clemson 25: Southern Miss' defense held strong throughout the fourth set, racking up 24 digs in the frame. The Golden Eagles held Clemson to a hitting percentage of .122, but it was not enough, as the Tigers claimed the set and the match by a score of 25-20.

Match Notes:
*Mia Wesley finished the match with 12 kills and ends the 2021 season with 427 kills, a record for a Southern Miss freshman
*Kenzie Smith recorded 34 assists, wrapping up her junior campaign with 1,046. She is the first Golden Eagle to record over 1,000 assists in a season since 2018
*Lauren Talbert's 10 kill performance gives her nine double-digit matches in her senior season.
*The Golden Eagles fell to Clemson in the first meeting between the programs
*Southern Miss finishes the 2021 season with a non conference record of 8-8 and an overall mark of 11-17

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