Jags fall to Lander on Senior Night behind Miller’s stellar night

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Edtor in chief

On Senior Night at Christenberry Fieldhouse, the Augusta Jaguars fell to the Lander Bearcats in four sets, 20-25, 15-25, 25-21 and 21-25.

Despite a strong start in the match on Nov. 8 and late-set adjustments, the Jaguars could not slow down Lander’s offensive rhythm—led by all-American Katie Miller, who finished with 23 kills on .169 hitting.

Augusta came out fast in the opening set, jumping to an 11-3 lead behind efficient attacks from Angela Mateos and Layne Witherspoon down the middle. Lauren Nelson continued her strong weekend, contributing early kills as the Jaguars’ offense found rhythm. However, a six-point run by the Bearcats shifted momentum. Behind improved serving and Miller’s dominance, Lander battled back to tie the set at 15 before taking control and winning 25-20.

In the second set, Miller’s impact grew even larger. She proved unstoppable from every position on the court, swinging from the middle, outside, and right side while also contributing defensively. Lander fed off her energy, pulling away for a 25-15 win and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Jaguars responded in the third set. Layne Witherspoon and Nelson powered Augusta’s attack when it mattered most, while Hunter MacFarland’s timely serves helped secure a 25-21 victory to extend the match.

By the fourth set, Augusta seemed to have found its footing. The offense began to flow efficiently, with Nelson, Sofiia Snitsarevych, Mateos, and Witherspoon all finding open space on the court. The Jaguars forced errors from Lander and even put Miller under pressure, as her error total climbed into double digits. But just when Augusta appeared ready to force a fifth set, Lander stormed back with a nine-point run to tie the match at 20. Miller capped off the night with back-to-back service aces, sealing the Bearcats’ 25-21 win.

Nelson led Augusta with 14 kills on .130 hitting, while Witherspoon followed with 8 kills on .276. Snitsarevych and Mateos added 7 and 5 kills respectively. Setter Sydney Harrington finished with 34 assists and a double-double thanks to 10 digs, while Giulia Rodrigues and Mia Saavedra anchored the defense with 14 digs each.

The loss drops Augusta to 22-7 overall and 10-3 in Peach Belt Conference play, placing them second behind Flagler, which swept Middle Georgia. Lander improves to 17-8 and 9-4 in conference action.

The Jaguars will close out their regular season next week on the road, facing USC Aiken on Tuesday, November 11, before wrapping up the schedule on Saturday, November 15.

Senior Night marked the final regular-season home appearance for Lauren Nelson, Giulia Rodrigues, and Lauren Posa, who were each honored for their leadership and contributions to the program.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.