EVERGREEN, Ala. - The Coastal Alabama - South Volleyball team battled back from an early deficit to earn a thrilling five-set ACCC road victory over conference foe Reid State Community College (Ala.) on Monday evening, Sept. 28, winning 16-25, 25-15, 25-21, 12-25, 15-9.
The victory marks the second consecutive ACCC win for the Coyotes, who opened the two-match stretch with a 3-0 sweep of Wallace Community College - Selma (Ala.) at home last Friday. Coastal - South improves to 6-10 overall and 3-4 in conference play, sitting fifth among the seven teams in the ACCC South Division standings.
'Yotes Claim Five-Set Win
After dropping the opening set, the Coyotes responded emphatically in the second and third frames. Coastal - South posted a .333 hitting percentage in the second set, recording 17 kills on 30 attacks, before adding 14 kills in the third set to take a 2-1 match lead.
Reid State answered with a 25-12 fourth-set victory to force a decisive fifth set, but the 'Yotes saved their best offensive performance for last. The Coyotes recorded eight kills without committing an attack error in the final frame, hitting .500 as a team to close out the five-set victory.
Captain Elizabeth McMillan helped lead the Coastal Alabama - South attack with 13 kills while hitting .364 for the match. Meanwhile, Zion Paden posted 14 kills, while Ella Kyker contributed 10 kills. Lyric Thompson added nine kills in the win, and Daeya Williams and Wendy Reyes Duenas each finished with two kills apiece.
Setter Anna Musgrove orchestrated the Coastal Alabama - South offense with a career-high 43 assists in Monday's win, while also adding 11 digs. The 43-assist performance surpassed her previous career high of 33, set on Sept. 5 against Southern Union State (Ala.), by 10 assists. It also marked the first time in her two-year Coastal career that Musgrove has recorded more than 40 assists in a match.
Defensively, libero McKenna Jackson also collected 11 digs, and Sophia Gress finished with seven digs. Both Anna Claire Hilburn and Anique Self each fiinished with six digs in the victory.
As a team, the Coyotes finished the match with 53 kills, 44 assists and 56 digs. Coastal - South also recorded three team blocks and 10 service aces on Monday.
Ranked Matchup Ahead
Riding a two-match win streak, the Coyotes have a tough test ahead as Coastal - South battles the 18th-ranked Saints of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (Ala.) next on the schedule. Coastal - South versus LBW is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 5:00 p.m. CT in Andalusia, Ala.
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