JACKSON, Tenn. – Blossoms Volleyball completed the weekend sweep on Saturday afternoon, leaving the Union University Volleyball Invitational with three wins. Arkansas-Monticello won both games on Saturday, seeing a 3-1 victory over the Catawba College Indians and a 3-1 win over the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats.
With the three wins over the weekend, the Blossoms increase their 2024 season record to 4-3. This is the best starting record on the road, before a home opener, for UAM since the 2021 Blossoms recorded five.
Game 1 – Catawba College
The opening set started as a back-and-fourth battle on both sides of the net. The Indians, however, took an 8-5 lead over the Blossoms. UAM responded quickly, bringing the set back in their favor, 14-13. Catawba did not back down and pushed back into the lead, as 19-15 sat on the scoreboard. UAM scored six unanswered points to once again take control of the set. The Indians failed in chasing down the UAM lead, giving set one to the Blossoms, 27-25.
Set two began with a 7-3 run early in favor of the Blossoms. The Indians were quick to turn the set in their favor, reclaiming the advantage at 14-10. Catawba never relinquished control, even with four straight errors and a kill for UAM, they could not gain the needed momentum. UAM dropped set two, 25-20, tying the match, 1-1.
The third set started just as the second when UAM was able to start with a 14-7 lead. Catawba rallied back within three points, 12-15, but saw the efforts fall short as the Blossoms took set three, 25-20.
The fourth and final set was controlled from start to finish by UAM. Arkansas-Monticello dominated its way to a 19-10 lead over the Indians. Catawba would only score four more points throughout the rest of the set, resulting in a 25-14 set four win and a 3-1 match win.
Natalie White once again led the Blossoms in kills, with 16. Jasmine Welton followed behind with 15 of her own.
Mia Smalls assisted in 31 attacks throughout the match.
Defensively, the Blossoms saw Welton lead with 10 digs.
GAME ONE NOTES
- This was the first meeting between the Blossoms and the Indians.
- The most amount of Serving Aces (13) in a match, since October 14, 2019, when UAM recorded 15 against Tougaloo College.
- The Blossoms have now won three straight games, for the first time since September of 2022.
Game 2 – Southwest Baptist University
The opening set was an evenly matched battle between the Blossoms and Bearcats, 8-8. SBU took the lead with the next procession and never let UAM take it back. The Blossom offense did find some extra life, tying the score at both, 13-13 and 20-20, but would not prevail, as the Bearcats took the set, 25-22, to lead 1-0.
Set two started evenly matched once again between both teams, with the lead switching hands twice before being tied 9-9. The Bearcatsseemed to pull away when they scored six unanswered points to take the lead, 15-10. The Blossoms started a powerful drive after a kill from Valeria Velez, pushing the score back within one at 20-19. Following a substitution for Arkansas-Monticello, the Blossoms tied the game at 20-20, before coming back to win set two, 25-23, tying the match 1-1.
The third set saw a 5-2 run from the Blossoms for an early advantage. SBU tried to stifle UAM’s early momentum with a called time-out, but the Blossoms continued to dominate bringing the score to,18-11. The Bearcats looked to tie the set but were unsuccessful, as the Blossoms never let go of the lead, and would take set three, 25-22, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
Needing to win set four to win the match, the Blossoms saw them on the wrong side of the board early, as the Bearcats took a 5-2 lead. UAM pushed on and managed to reclaim a 17-16 lead. The road to 25 wouldn’t be easy for either side, it was a back-and-forth point dual, with the Blossoms proving victorious in the scoring battle, winning set four 25-23, and taking the match 3-1.
Natalie White once again led the Blossoms in kills, with 19.
Mia Small assisted in 33 attacks throughout the match.
Defensively, the Blossoms led in digs, with Bruna Silva recording 14.
GAME TWO NOTES
- White’s 19 kills was a career-high.
- This was the fifth meeting between the Blossoms and the Bearcats – the last match was played in 2012.
- UAM’s four-win streak is the most consecutive wins since 2021. The Blossoms’ longest consecutive winning streak is at five (2016 & 2021 seasons).
FROM HEAD COACH ARLICIA ORTIZ
“I’m so proud of how we played this weekend. The girls fought long & hard. No game, set, or point was easy. There were a lot of in-game adjustments we had to make, but at the end of the day, it took grit & teamwork. Every number on the roster contributed to our success. The community in Monticello is extremely supportive & loving of this team & we can’t wait to use this momentum to defend Steelman.”
UP NEXT
The Blossoms will continue their action on Tuesday, September 17, as they host the University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff for the 2024 home opener. The first serve is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. inside Steelman Field House.
Links to both live stream and live stats are available as clickable links on the 2024 UAM Volleyball Schedule at uamports.com.
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