Augusta sweeps Francis Marion to close out 3-0 weekend
By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | editor in chief
AIKEN, S.C.—Augusta University’s volleyball team capped off a strong weekend at the USC Aiken Convocation Center with a sweep of Francis Marion on Saturday, Sept. 13, with scores of 25-20, 26-24, 25-16.
The Jaguars improved to 5–1 overall after picking up their third win in two days.
Augusta finished with 43 kills on .230 hitting while holding Francis Marion to a .154 clip. The Jaguars also totaled 63 digs, 11 aces, and 6.0 team blocks in the win.
Layne Witherspoon powered the offense with a match-high 15 kills on .387 hitting and added three block assists. Mia Saavedra filled the stat sheet with 10 kills, five aces and 14 digs, while Sofiia Snitsarevych chipped in seven kills on .267 hitting. Setter Sydney Harrington kept the attack balanced with 32 assists, and libero Giulia Rodrigues anchored the defense with 15 digs.
After a shaky start in the opening frame, Augusta pulled away late to take it 25-20. The second set nearly slipped away, but the Jaguars held off a late Francis Marion push to edge 26-24. Augusta then left no doubt in the third, hitting .314 behind Witherspoon and Saavedra, who combined for eight kills in the set.
Harrington said the team’s ability to settle in came down to trust in their system.
“We knew that as soon as we got a pass, we could get the set and get the offense running,” she said. “It’s just super mental. We know we can do it in three. We know we can play Augusta volleyball and have fun doing it.”
AU Coach Sharon Quarles credited the Jaguars’ execution of the game plan, particularly behind the service line.
“We realized that by weaponizing our serve once again, it’s all about serve and pass,” Quarles said. “When we apply what we’re being told — that their weakness was in the middle, the doughnut hole—we could run up the board, and get out of those three sets”
In the tight second set, Augusta nearly let things slip in the red zone, but Quarles pointed to composure as the difference.
“We have to control what’s happening on our side,” she said. “That means elevate the set, get our hitters’ feet to the ball, take good swings on the ball, and just play our game.”
The Jaguars return to the Convocation Center on Thursday, Sept. 18, to face Alabama Huntsville at 6 p.m.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
Note: At the top, Augusta setter Sydney Harrington (13) delivers a serve during the Jaguars sweep over Francis Marion at the USC Aiken Convocation Center. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
