Volleyball Takes Two Wins at Southern Miss Invitational

HATTIESBURG, Miss.- The Southern Miss Volleyball team concludes day one of the Southern Miss Invitational with a 2-0 record.

Southern Miss earned its first win of the season in four sets against Northwestern State, followed by a clean sweep against Jacksonville at the Southern Miss Invitational Friday.

Southern Miss 3, Northwestern State 1 (25-20, 15-25, 25-15, 25-21)

The first set begins with a strong set of kills from Aysu Dalogullari, Izzy Kronenberg and Torrey Tkach to put the Golden Eagles up 6-3. The Lady Demons respond with a three-point run, with two of those points being from Reaghan Thompson.

After back-and-forth points throughout the set, a kill by Sadie McAda and a service ace by Sunni Sheppard bring the score to 24-20.

A service error from the Lady Demons seals the first set for Southern Miss.

The Lady Demons came back strong in the second set, with a trio of three-point runs throughout the set. Despite the strong response, the Golden Eagles ultimately fell short in set two.

Set three opens up with a four-point run from the Lady Demons. The Golden Eagles responded with a 6-2 run, including a stuff block from Tkach and McAda.

With 13 kills throughout the set, the Golden Eagles run away with the set.

The fourth set of the match was filled with strategic plays and great efforts from both teams, going back and forth between the two-point lead.

The Lady Demons posted a four-point run to make the score 10-12. However, the Golden Eagles responded with great force, putting up a 10-3 run.

A hitting error from the Lady Demons closes out the set, booking the match win for the Golden Eagles.

Sadie McAda closes out the match with a career-high 20 kills in a match, while Aysu Dalogullari earns herself a double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs.

Hayden Riddle had 21 assists, while Sunni Sheppard had 15 digs.

Southern Miss advances to (1-0, 0-0 SBC) while Northwestern State drops to (0-1, 0-0 Southland)

Southern Miss 3, Jacksonville 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-22)

The first set started with a steady fight by both teams. The Dolphins' offense connected well for the beginning of the set. However, the Golden Eagles were quick to respond.

Madison Baldrige scored an ace, followed by multiple kills by Sadie McAda who led the match in kills, both teams considered.

As the set continued, middle blocker Torrey Tkach and setter Hayden Riddle put a massive block up to slow the Dolphins.

Despite their fight, Jacksonville fell short in the first set, putting the Golden Eagles up 1-0.

The second set begins with the Dolphins playing with grit, and both teams swapping points back and forth for the majority of the match.

At the end, Southern Miss was able to use a few service errors by the Dolphins to their advantage, taking the second set 25-23.

The Dolphins jump to grab an early lead in the third set, but the Golden Eagles were quick to respond.

Riddle and McAda's connection was very strong during the match, pushing forward point by point. Seniors Izzy Kronenberg and Kallie Siebrasse made key plays at the end of the match that ultimately led to the final set scoring at 25-22 to win the match.

The Golden Eagles advance to 2-0 (0-0 SBC), with Jacksonville ending 1-1 (0-0 ASUN) after match play.

Southern Miss will compete against Southern University tomorrow, August 31 in a 2:30 PM match.

Southern Miss leads 4-0 in series matchups against the Jaguars, all wins in straight sets.

After today's matches, Southern is 0-2 (0-0 SWAC) after losing to Northwestern State and Jacksonville in two close four-set matches.

Southern Miss will compete against Southern University tomorrow, August 31 in a 2:30 PM match.

Tickets are still available for the 2024 season this fall. Fans can purchase tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or visit the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office on campus weekdays during normal business hours.

To keep up with the Golden Eagles, follow @SouthernMissVB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates.

Volleyball Takes Two Wins at Southern Miss Invitational

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Team Stats

Sadie McAda

Aysu Dalogullari

Izzy Kronenberg

Madison Baldridge

Players Mentioned

Aysu Dalogullari

Izzy Kronenberg

Sadie McAda

Hayden Riddle

Sunni Sheppard

Kallie Siebrasse

Torrey Tkach