MONTGOMERY, Ala. – UWF senior
Taylor Vaneekeren handed out 35 assists and picked up seven digs to help UWF defeat Auburn Montgomery, 3-0, at the AUM Gymnasium on Saturday. In the process, she became just the second player in program history to surpass 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs in a career.
UWF (11-3, 3-0 Gulf South) hit over .300 for the eighth time this season and now sits atop the GSC standings as one of three unbeaten teams following a 3-0 week to start league play.
Vaneekeren eclipsed the 3,000-kill mark two weeks ago and joins the setter she followed,
Monique StCyr, as the only players to dish out as many helpers above the net and keep as many opponent attacks off the floor. Vaneekeren is the 11th player overall to reach 1,000 digs.
On Saturday, the balanced offensive attack had four players with at least eight kills, led by a match-high 11 from
Alex Oliver and 10 kills on a crushing .667 hitting percentage from
Camila Vazquez. Vaneekeren also had four kills and a service ace against the Warhawks.
In the first set, UWF created some distance with a 5-0 run to grab a 7-2 lead. While the Argonauts never lost the lead, the Warhawks stayed close, even getting to within two on a few occasions. But UWF again had a 4-point rally to extend the lead to 18-11 and secured the frame, 25-16.
The Argos led for the first 30 points of the second set before the Warhawks grabbed a 16-15 lead on the strength of a 5-0 run. The teams traded points until AUM led 19-18. That's when UWF got three-consecutive kills from
Kierra Potts for a 21-19 edge. An AUM kill briefly halted the UWF momentum, which was then regained as the visitors scored four of the final six points to clinch the second set, 25-22.
The third frame was the most tightly contested of the match, with 13 ties until an Oliver kill and a Warhawk attack error afforded UWF the 25-23 win.
AUM (7-7, 1-1) hit .117 on the day and was led by Ylenia De Mango's nine kills.
UWF will play its next two matches on the road, facing West Alabama on Friday and Mississippi College on Saturday of next week.
