The Ave Maria University volleyball team wrapped up a first round bye in next week's Sun Conference Tournament on Thursday, sweeping the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia at Donahue Gym. The win ensured that Ave Maria will be the number two seed in the tournament for the third year in a row, and will face either Keiser or Webber International in the semifinals next Friday.
Coastal Georgia held an early lead in the first set, but Ave Maria quickly rallied to take control of the set. After trailing 3-1, the Gyrenes scored seven unanswered points to take a lead they would never relinquish. The set included four more runs of at least three points in a row, and saw AMU lead by as many as 12 points. On Ave Maria's third set point, a Coastal Georgia error finished off a 25-14 win for AMU.
The second set was the closest of the three on the night, with Ave Maria eventually claiming a 25-19 win. The set was close for most of the early portion of play, with the set tied at 11 after a Sydney Martin kill. Ave Maria took control from there, going on a 9-3 run to pull away. A kill from Abigail Costlow concluded the set, giving Ave Maria a 2-0 lead over the Mariners.
Ave Maria wasted little time in finishing off the Mariners in the third set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. AMU never trailed in the final set, which included a 9-1 run that extended an 11-7 Ave Maria lead to a 20-8 edge for the Gyrenes. Zelie Kessler put the finishing touches on an excellent performance in the closing moments of the match, powering down two kills to close out a 25-13 win.
Zelie Kessler led Ave Maria's attacking efforts for the second night in a row, racking up 13 kills and a .417 attack percentage. Cabriella Bouterse and Abigail Costlow were both in double figures as well, with 12 and ten kills, respectively. Madelyn Haut, who became AMU's all-time leader in sets played during the match, and Costlow both had three blocks. Lily Witkoski ran Ave Maria's offense efficiently with 41 assists, and Victoria Schein led the defense with nine digs.
The Gyrenes conclude the regular season on Saturday, when Ave Maria welcomes the Lions of Florida Memorial to Donahue Gym. Before the match starts, the six Gyrene seniors will be honored for their contributions to the program. A win on Saturday would give AMU's senior class a 33-6 record in Ave Maria over their four years. Opening serve is scheduled for 2:00 pm at Donahue Gym.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up