MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Argonauts of West Florida (22-7, 14-1 GSC) won their 15th overall and eighth consecutive GSC regular season title with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) win over Christian Brothers (2-25, 1-14 GSC) tonight at Canale Arena. The win also clinches the No. 1 overall seed for UWF in the GSC Championship next week, meaning this season is also the eighth straight and 13th in its history in which UWF has hosted.
While the Lady Bucs made it tense at times throughout the match, the outcome was never truly in doubt as the Argos dominated in almost every facet. UWF won the offensive battle .317 to .091, racking up 43 kills to CBU's 26 with just five more attacks and seven fewer errors. Only two Argonaut hitters failed to hit .300, and
Bailee Sterling,
Damyah Joyner and
Alex Oliver each went over .600.
The best chance the Buccaneers had to change the tune of this one was in the second frame, when it was only outhit by just .071 percent and had just three fewer kills on the same amount of attempts and miscues. Only three Lady Bucs hit over .100, as the rest were held to net zero or negative percentages by the Argos.
The Argos also dug 40 attacks to the Lady Bucs' 26, came up with 36 assists to just 26 for CBU and had seven blocks to three for the latter. The main factor that kept the Memphians in the game was winning the service ace battle with eight to just three for UWF. Christian Brothers, which entered the match in last place in the league in aces, saw four players hit a pair tonight. The advantage was neutralized, however, as CBU also had nine service errors.
The visitors opened with a quick 6-0 lead thanks to four kills split evenly between Sterling and Joyner and a pair of CBU bad sets. UWF kept the hosts at arm's length for the rest of the opening frame, as it was mostly back and forth except for a 5-0 run built off three more Sterling kills, an
Annie Monaco block and an error that gave the Argos a 19-7 lead.
With the second set tied at 10 apiece, six straight points went to UWF thanks to three
Jenna Zydlo kills. Monaco and Joyner each claimed a kill in the span. A block was also split by the junior transfers from Robert Morris and Eckerd, respectively. Christian Brothers refused to say die, as it then strung together a 7-1 run to tie things up again. Zydlo and Monaco stepped up again with kills for the backbone of a key 5-0 span that included a block by Sterling and
Gabi Moulton with two more errors. The Argos' last two points of the frame came via the service error, putting them one set away from the top seed in the GSC Tournament.
The Buccaneers would give UWF one last scare, utilizing a 6-1 run to lead 8-7 early in the third. It was here that senior
Jacque Martin came up big with a kill and an ace that made her responsible for three of four UWF scores at that point in the set. Then, after a pair of CBU errors, it was time for another senior to rise to the occasion. Soon after checking in for the first time tonight, Oliver sent two of her three attacks on the night to the floor in advance of a
Meg Brackhan ace that wrapped up five straight UWF points. The Lady Bucs would threaten one last time in pulling within 21-18. However, two unforced errors, a kill from Moulton and a block by Oliver and Sterling scored the last four points and painted the night blue and green.
The Argos would have at least earned the No. 1 seed and the right to host the GSC Championship with a win as it held the tiebreaker over second-place Alabama Huntsville, but they earned the status of sole regular season champion as a result of winning and UAH losing to Valdosta State. The last three rounds of the GSC Tournament will then be played from Nov. 17-19 at UWF Field House. Having earned the first-round bye, UWF will play in the first game of the semifinals on Friday, the 18th. Before that, however, the Argos will look to punctuate this regular season and their seed with a win at Union tomorrow at 2 pm.
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