MEMPHIS-Senior outside hitter
Alexis Gillis (Corpus Christi, Texas, Carroll HS) pounded 22 kills with 21 digs, but visiting Valdosta State outlasted the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs in four sets Friday night at Canale Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• After neither team could open a lead in the first part of the opening set, the Lady Bucs (8-19, 4-13 GSC) used a five-point run to claim a 14-10 edge, but the Blazers (20-5, 15-2) answered with a five-point run of their own to take a 16-15 edge. VSU used a four-point run and a three-point run to extend their lead to 23-18 as they went on to win 25-21.
• The CBU offense exploded in the second set, hitting .531 with 17 kills and no errors in 32 attempts. CBU used a 7-1 run to take a 13-8 lead on a
Demi Chipman (Bartlett, Tenn./Bartlett HS) ace, and they went on to lead by as many as nine points at 22-13 en route to a 25-19 win.
• CBU again took a quick lead in the third set, using a five-point run to take a 7-3 edge on a Gillis kill. After VSU answered with a three-point run, neither team would lead by more than three again. CBU used a 4-1 burst to tie the set at 23 on another Gillis kill, but VSU scored the last two to win 25-23.
• The fourth set was another tight battle. VSU took an early 10-6 lead, but the Lady Bucs battled back to tie it at 11 and eventually take an 18-17 edge. A quick three-point run put CBU ahead 22-20, and they went on to serve for set point four times from 24-23 on, but the Blazers scored the final three points to win 30-28 and claim the victory.
KEY STATS:• Gillis hit .234 with 22 kills and four errors in a school-record 77 attempts. She added a team-best 21 digs with three assists, two aces and a block.
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Mary Kathryn Miller (Fulton, Ky./Fulton City HS) hit .429 with 11 kills and three blocks.
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Nina Tuszynski (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley HS) logged 11 kills.
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Jessica Reber (Byron, Ill./Byron HS) had 48 assists, 10 digs and five kils.
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Demi Chipman (Bartlett, Tenn./Bartlett HS) notched 14 digs.
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Alexa Henderson (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie HS) garnered 10 digs.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs return to action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. as they celebrate Gillis' Senior Day before facing No. 23 West Florida in their final home match of the season.
