AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The UNC Pembroke volleyball team hot .314 from the net, but Augusta registered nine service aces to help the Jaguars to a 3-1 (16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-15) victory over the Braves on Thursday evening inside the Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The Braves (11-17) have now lost their last two contests and fall the 4-8 when playing on the road this season. The Jaguars (16-5) have won their last six matches against UNCP and improve to 7-1 when playing at home this season.
UNC Pembroke hit a match-best .313 from the net and took a 14-9 lead with a kill from Ruby Countryman in the opening set. Augusta worked its deficit back to 15-12 via a kill from Madelyn Eden, but the Braves closed out the set on a 10-4 surge capped off with a service ace from Tyler Patterson to take the first set 25-16.
The Braves scored the first five points of the second set and would eventually lead 8-2 after an Augusta attack error. The Jaguars scored the next five points, and then would use a 5-0 surge later in the set to take a 14-13 advantage. UNCP tied the score at 14 apiece after another attack error from Augusta, but the hosts took the lead for good, 15-14, with a kill from Layne Witherspoon, en route to a 25-21 set win.
The hosts pushed their lead out to 13-7 in the third set with a Janvier Buggs service ace. A Patterson kill cut the UNCP deficit back to 15-10, another Buggs service ace padded Augusta's lead 23-15 to stay in control of the set, winning 25-17.
Augusta hit .303 from the net in the fourth set and took a quick 7-3 lead with a block from Eden. The Braves worked their deficit back to 9-8, but a 5-1 surge for the Jaguars pushed their lead out to 14-9. UNC Pembroke trailed 18-13 following a kill from Countryman, but the hosts finished the match on a 7-2 run and won the clinching set 25-15.
Abby Peduzzi had 11 kills, 18 digs and five assists for UNCP, Countryman had eight kills and two blocks, Precious Daley had eight kills and two blocks, Patterson had 26 assists, 11 digs and two blocks, Brette Doile had 19 blocks and seven assists and Savannah Whaley had two aces.
The Braves will be back in action at home on Saturday against Barton for Senior Day. First serve is set for 2 p.m. at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court and admission is free. Senior Day festivities will begin before first serve.
Braves wrestling takes down Montevallo in Conference Carolinas opener
The UNC Pembroke wrestling team found themselves trailing after two matches, but three-straight bonus-point victories stemmed the tide and propelled the Braves to a 31-9 win over Montevallo in the Black & Gold's Conference Carolinas dual match opener Wednesday night at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
The Braves (1-0, 1-0 CC) earned the victory in their first-ever meeting with the Falcons (1-1, 1-1 CC).
Facing a 6-0 deficit after the opening two matches, Avery Buonocore got the Braves on the board with an 11-1 major decision at 141 pounds, before ninth-ranked 149-pounder Jake Piccirilli and second-ranked 157-pounder Keegan Roberson each recorded second-period pins to give UNCP a 16-6 lead.
Will Lowery (165 pounds) and Logan Hoffman (174) would each follow with 11-6 decision victories, while Jose Zambrano Canuto put the Falcons out of reach with a 21-4 technical fall win at 184 pounds. After a Falcon win in the 197-pound bout, Oggie Atwood closed the night with an 11-1 major decision in the heavyweight match to put a bow on the victory.
The Braves will be back in action Sunday as they head to Franklin Springs, Georgia for the Georgia Open, before returning home Wednesday to host King for a Conference Carolinas dual match.