Jags do it again as they rally to get the reverse sweep over Lander

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief

GREENWOOD, S.C.—Augusta University rallied from two sets down to stun Lander in a five–set thriller on Friday, Oct. 3, at Horne Arena.

The Jaguars sealed the comeback with a dominant 15–7 finish in the deciding frame. The Jaguars dropped the first two sets 20–25 and 14–25, before storming back to win 25–15, 25–17 and 15–7.

The Bearcats controlled the opening sets with their size at the net and pressure from the service line, forcing Augusta into early errors. But the Jaguars refused to fold, turning the match around behind steadier defense, sharper attacking, and the energy of outside hitter Mia Saavedra.

Saavedra opened the night with an ace and continued to make her presence felt throughout the match. She finished with 15 kills on .406 hitting while also dishing out 25 assists. For her, that first serve was about more than just a point.

“It was definitely something that we needed in the team,” Saavedra said. “We think we needed someone to step up and start getting some points. Whomever it was, I just wanted to help the team out in any way. So I was just doing my part, and hopefully everyone else would also join in on that.”

That mentality carried into the later stages of the match, when Augusta flipped the momentum. After dropping the second set, the Jaguars responded with a 25–15 win in the third and never looked back. Saavedra was key in that stretch, finding ways to score despite Lander’s strong block.

“I think working around the block, they have a solid block, but their line was open at times, and so were their cuts, and I was just working on that during the game,” Saavedra said.

Augusta also had big contributions from others.

Libero Giulia Rodrigues anchored the back row with 27 digs, while Sofiia Snitsarevych added nine kills on .304 hitting.

By the time the fifth set arrived, Augusta was in full control. Saavedra and her teammates delivered clutch kills and aces, while the Jaguars’ defense locked down the Bearcats’ attack.

The final 15–7 scoreline capped off the comeback and sent Augusta home with a hard-fought road win.

The Jaguars return to action on Saturday, Oct. 4, for another conference matchup, this time at home, against Flagler, which is 2-0 in the PBC and 8-9 overall.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila rburgosavila@augusta.edu.

Note: At the top of the page, AU’s Lauren Nelson (2) hits over the block to secure a kill during the match against Lander. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)