Jaguar volleyball team loses pair in five sets on final day of AU/USCA Invitational

Staff report

The Augusta University volleyball team lost a pair of five-setters on Saturday, Sept. 5, in the AU/USC Aiken Invitational at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

AU’s Layne Witherspoon cheers on her teammates. (photo by Brelynn Crewe/the Bell Ringer)

In the opener, Carson-Newman (8-1) defeated the Jaguars (2-5) by set scores of 25-16, 16-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-9. Nikol Antova led Augusta with 17 kills, followed by Emma Haren with 13, Essence Jones with 11 and Layne Witherspoon with 10.

AU outhit Carson-Newman .213 to .179, but the Jaguars had 14 service errors, compared to just three for the Eagles.

In the nightcap against Shorter, AU hit its way to a two-set advantage only to see Shorter rally for the reverse sweep. Set scores were 20-25, 18-25, 25-18, 25-22, 15-8. Antova led the way with 16 kills, and Jones added 14 kills.

Serving was an issue again, as the Jaguars had 16 errors, compared to 10 for the Hawks (2-5).

Witherspoon, the senior middle hitter who was honorable mention all-American last season, only played in one set in the loss to Shorter.

Carson-Newman did beat AU rival Lander, but the Eagles lost to Jaguar arch-rival USC Aiken.

Matches were played in both Aiken and Augusta.

Next weekend, AU will play in the Peach Belt/Gulf South Crossover in Clinton, Miss. Augusta opens with Montevallo on Friday, Sept. 11, followed by Alabama-Huntsville that same day. On Saturday, Sept. 12, the Jaguars will play Mississippi College.

Sofia Snitsarevych (11) and Nikol Antova go up for the block against Shorter University’s Taylor-Reese Howell. At the top of the page, the Jaguars gather just before first serve against the Hawks. (photos by Brelynn Crewe/the Bell Ringer)