Match One: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)
Match Two: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Kennesaw State volleyball team closed out the Big Orange Bash Tournament Saturday, dropping a tough five-set decision to Georgia, 20-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-10, before falling to host Clemson in the nightcap, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18.
 
Match One: The back-and-forth tone was set right from the onset between the Owls (1-2) and Bulldogs (2-1) as the two squads traded points to open the first set. Tied 15-15, the Owls managed to seize control behind a quick 3-0 run capped off by an ace from Jessie Cohen. KSU held on to that lead the rest of the way, scoring the final three points of the set to win 25-20 and take a 1-0 lead.
 
It was a similar start to the second set until a kill from Jasmine Brown sparked a 4-0 run to give KSU an early 10-6 lead. The Owls pushed their lead to as high as nine points, 20-11, behind three straight aces from Lauren Chastang. Georgia managed to pull within three thanks to a 7-0 run that made it 23-20, but the Owls closed out the set to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Bulldogs found their swing in the third set, utilizing a 6-1 run to take a 15-8 lead. KSU responded immediately to cut the deficit to one, 17-16, but Georgia regained some breathing room with a 4-0 run to lead 21-16. UGA eventually closed out the set 25-19 to send the match into a fourth set.
 
The two squads battled back-and-forth, deadlocked at 14-14 before Georgia pulled away behind a 6-1 run to lead 20-15. The Bulldogs rode that lead the rest of the way to force a deciding fifth set after a 25-21 victory.
 
After trading points to open the fifth, UGA took control with a 5-0 run, featuring three kills from the Bulldogs Kacie Evans. The Owls attempted to rally, pulling within three, but Georgia shut the door to cap off the comeback, 15-10.
 
Match Two: The host Tigers (3-0) hit the ground running in Saturday's final match, racing out to a 6-1 lead over the Owls. KSU settled in to pull within two, 8-6, but a 10-2 swing gave Clemson a 10-point lead, 19-9. The Owls attempted to cut the deficit, but it would prove to be too much as Clemson took the first set, 25-17.
 
KSU bounced back in the second set with a quick 6-3 lead. Clemson tied the set at 9-9, but back-to-back kills from Dani Ballou put the Owls back in front by two. The two squads traded points until a 5-1 run, capped off by a block from Quin Sutphin and Lexi Broadwater, gave the Owls a 19-16 advantage. KSU maintained that three-point lead for a bit, but the Tigers rallied with a 5-0 run to take a 23-21 lead. The Owls knotted the set at 23-23, before a kill and a block by Clemson gave the Tigers a 2-0 set lead.
 
The Owls jumped on Clemson in the third set, taking a 9-3 lead after two blocks from Ballou and Brown followed by a kill from Brown. KSU pushed its lead to as high as 17-8 before Clemson began to rally. The Tigers managed to pull ahead, winning 13 of the next 16 points to lead 21-20. Determined not to be swept, the Owls pushed back with two blocks and two kills before Chastang put the hammer down to win the set 25-22.
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair after Clemson took a 4-0 lead. KSU eventually tied the set as the two teams traded points with Clemson holding a slim 15-14 lead. The Tigers then proceeded to step on the gas with a 7-1 run to lead 23-16. The Owls looked to pull back in it, but back-to-back points clinched the victory for Clemson.
 
Notes: Dani Ballou was named to the All-Tournament Team … Ballou finished Saturday hitting .222 with 22 total kills, six digs and five blocks … Ballou was one of two Owls, the other being Lauren Chastang, to record double-digit kills in both matches Saturday, 11 each … Chastang recorded back-to-back double-doubles, logging 13 kills and 10 digs against Georgia and 12 kills and 10 digs against Clemson … Chastang also logged a career-high five aces against the Bulldogs … Quin Sutphin led the team with 12 total blocks, six in each match, to go along with a team-high 13 kills against Clemson … freshman Emma Schurfranz recorded her first double-digit kill match in an Owl uniform with 13 kills against Georgia … Lexi Broadwater averaged nearly 10 assists per set on the day (9.89), finishing the day with 89 total … Jasmine Brown set career marks in kills (7) and blocks (4) against Georgia.
 
Quotes: Head Coach Keith Schunzel
On the Owls play…
"First and foremost, I'm so proud of how hard our team competed in two emotionally and physically draining matches against two good teams. The Georgia match is one that we need to learn from because we had them on the ropes and lacked the killer instinct to close it out. The serve-pass game flipped, which flipped the momentum of the match, and we weren't able to get back into a rhythm." 
 
On the Clemson match…
"Clemson is a team that we knew would be really fired up to play us since we've beaten them the last two years. They came out really aggressive and it took us a set to match that level. But then from there on it was a battle, and I think we did a lot of great things. We unfortunately didn't close out set two when we had the lead, and we let set four slip away. We took some huge steps forward this weekend and we'll be ready to go when Georgia Tech comes to the Convo Tuesday night."
 
Up next: The Owls are finally back in the Convocation Center Tuesday night, hosting Georgia Tech for their home-opener at 7 p.m.