Jaguar volleyball team gets dramatic five-set win over Lander
By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief
After dropping two straight sets and watching their early momentum slip away, Augusta regrouped and held off Lander in a thrilling five-set victory Friday night, Nov. 7.
Behind standout performances from Lauren Nelson and Layne Witherspoon, the Jaguars earned a hard-fought win by scores of 25-14, 25-20, 17-25, 18-25 and 15-13.
Nelson led the Jaguars’ offense with 21 kills on .267 hitting, attacking aggressively and finding ways to keep Lander’s defense off balance. She said one of the biggest keys was trusting her teammates, especially her defenders.
“Hitting deep corners and listening to my defenders on where to hit because I can always count on G (Giulia Rodrigues) to tell me and I trust her,” Nelson said.
When Augusta needed leadership, Nelson provided it.
“In the huddle at one point I told everyone that I don’t care about their feelings in the moment and to stop feeling because it was getting in the way of their skill,” she said. “I took my own advice and I’m not sure if anyone listened, but it was visible on some players that they just shut their brain off and started playing.”
Witherspoon followed closely behind with 14 kills on .295 hitting and three service aces, seeing more volume than she is used to.
“I’m hitting deep corners and really just swinging at the ball in high hands,” Witherspoon said. “And picking places to hit where their blockers had to move. With serving, I just serve the ball, trying to be aggressive and keep it flat.”
Sydney Harrington ran the offense with 39 assists as Augusta returned to the 5-1 rotation, and she said the team’s offensive rhythm shifted as Lander’s block began to adjust.
“Their block got better because our offense got more predictable, which is something that definitely fell on my shoulders,” Harrington said. “Something I didn’t do as much in the first two sets was utilize my back row attackers. As soon as I did this, I think it helped get us out of some sticky situations.”
Harrington said she’s also proud of how far the team’s connection has come since the start of the season. “Connection wise, it just makes me smile to think of where we were at the start of the season compared to where we are now,” she said. “My margin of error has shrunk and my hitters know me well enough now to adjust accordingly. With Layne and Lauren specifically, they came in ready to play yesterday. And so did I.”
Giulia Rodrigues anchored the defense with 23 digs, while Hunter MacFarland and Mia Saavedra each had 13. MacFarland’s presence at the service line was crucial, as she recorded a match-high four aces that helped shift momentum late.
For Lander, Katie Miller led the way with 22 kills on .164 hitting. The Jaguars were able to contain her early, but the Bearcat standout found her rhythm in the middle sets to help extend the match. Still, Augusta’s energy and focus in the fifth set made the difference.
Nelson said the atmosphere in Christenberry Fieldhouse gave the team an extra boost.
“The gym felt electric this game. Everyone was engaged and it helps tremendously,” she said. “Yes, it stinks that we had to go to five sets, but ultimately those are the most fun and memorable games because it proves we can fight back in hard times.”
With the victory, Augusta improves to 22-6 overall and 10-2 in Peach Belt Conference play, regaining momentum after last week’s road losses and keeping their push alive for PBC tournament hosting hopes.
The Jags return to action on Saturday, Nov. 8, against the Bearcats once again at 4 p.m. for senior night. This match will be yet another one that will prove decisive as they head into the final matches of the regular season. They finish at USC Aiken next weekend.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
Layne Witherspoon (20) finished the match off with a kill for a 15-13 Jag win in the fifth. AU won by set scores of 25-14, 25-20, 17-25, 18-25, 15-13. At the top of the page, Witherspoon and Angela Mateos go for the block. Witherspoon had 14 kills on the night.(photos by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
The Jaguars’ Lauren Nelson (2) finished with a team-high 21 kills to help lead AU to the narrow five-set win over Lander. (photo by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
Giulia Rodrigues (in blue) and Lauren Nelson (2) celebrate along with teammate Sofiia Snitsarevych during AU’s five-set PBC win over Lander. (photo by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
Augusta’s Sofiia Snitsarevych drives home a kill while teammates Mia Saavedra (5) and Lauren Nelson look on. (photo by Anna Biondolillo/the Bell Ringer)
