GSC TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Ranked No. 17 in the nation and No. 7 in the South Region to begin the eighth straight GSC Championship hosted at UWF Field House as the top seed, the Argos started out hot and never let up on their way to a sweep (25-10, 25-16, 25-17) of 4-seed Montevallo this afternoon.
UWF won every statistical category, including a 40-26 advantage in kills on four less attacks with just 11 errors to 17. It outhit the Falcons in each set and .293 to .087 overall thanks to an utterly dominant opening period.
The top squad in the GSC came out swinging in its first action back on its home court since October 31, firing 14 kills while committing just one miscue for a .406 output while holding the Falcons to seven each of kills and errors for a 0.0 set. An early 11-1 run put UWF in the driver's seat with a 12-3 lead. The hosts then went up 17-5 with four straight points on kills by
Gabi Moulton and
Jacque Martin, a block by Moulton and
Jenna Zydlo and an ace from Martin. The Argos then closed out the set with the last five points all courtesy of
Bailee Sterling and
Damyah Joyner, as the duo combined on a block and Sterling put forth two kills and a solo block.
Sterling and Martin both scored back-to-back kills in the first six plays of the second frame as their team went up 5-1. Another 5-0 span grew the UWF lead to 16-7. After Martin split a block with Sterling for the 20th point and then registered kills for points 21 and 22,
Annie Monaco scored a kill to bring it to set point and then added another after three Falcon points to give her team a 2-0 match lead.
Fans recalled that Montevallo had trailed 2-0 and faced set point of a sweep on Friday night in the second round against 5-seed Valdosta State before using an 8-1 run to prolong the game and then win an insane comeback in five sets. It seemed they would rally early in the third today as the Falcons led 3-0 to open the frame. However, Sterling scored two kills and split a block with Joyner before Monaco fired back-to-back aces to wrap up a crucial 6-0 run. Later, four Montevallo errors brought more momentum and a 15-8 lead to the Blue and Green. Scores went to and fro until six of the last seven points went to the Argos via two errors, an ace by
Emily Breazeale and kills from Breazeale, Zydlo and Martin.
With nine kills on a .500 hitting performance as well as two solo and four assisted blocks, Sterling led the way for her team. Monaco was right behind and one kill shy of a double-double with 10 digs and three aces. Martin and Joyner combined for 15 kills.
Meg Brackhan led the back line with 17 scoops, and Breazeale and Moulton had nine apiece. Moulton also assisted 30 kills for the Argos.
UWF improves its record to 24-7 overall, while Montevallo sees its season end with a 13-18 record and 10-6 mark in regular season GSC play. All that is standing in the way of a 12th GSC Championship and its sixth in as many seasons is No. 2 seed Alabama Huntsville, who tonight also had to come back and win in five after trailing 2-1 to No. 3 Auburn Montgomery. The Argonauts take on the Chargers on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 1 pm with the No. 1 in the conference on the line.
Please visit GoArgos.com or follow the program at @UWFVolleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to follow the action.
