SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After a tough match against Valpo yesterday, the Presbyterian College volleyball team (4-9) bounced back with a decisive straight-set victory over the South Carolina State Bulldogs (1-8), winning 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-8).
 
COACH BENSON'S THOUGHTS
"Good to get a three-set win at the end of a tough non-conference schedule. We have had ups and downs, but I believe we have come out better and more prepared to take on our conference schedule. We look forward to the challenges waiting for us in the Big South."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
An early Blue Hose attack error gave SC State the first point of the match, but kills from Courtney Williams and Ashley Miller quickly ignited a strong run for PC. Elyse Hutchinson's kill capped off a stretch of six unanswered points, putting Presby ahead 6-1. The Bulldogs responded with a three-point burst, including two service aces. After trading points, another Williams kill kept the Blue Hose in control at 7-5.
 
Kills from Miller and Julia Yurkovich extended Presbyterian's lead to five, but SC State countered with a three-point run of their own. A Yurkovich kill regained momentum for the Blue Hose, sparking a stretch where they claimed five of the next six points, bolstered by two kills from Ava Smith, to make it 15-9.
 
Though the Bulldogs added two points to break into double digits, kills from Yurkovich and Williams restored Presby's cushion. SC State earned another pair of points, but the Blue Hose quickly answered with two of their own, including a Miller kill, pushing the score to 19-13.
 
Another kill from Miller brought PC to the 20-point mark, yet SC State remained within striking distance, trailing by just five. However, the blue and garnet finished strong, pulling away with five straight points, powered by three Hutchinson kills, to take the first set 25-15.
 
SECOND SET
With kills from Miller, Hutchinson, and Yurkovich, the teams traded points early until the score was tied at 5-5. SC State took the first two-point lead of the set at 7-5, but the Blue Hose quickly responded, evening the score at 7-7. A kill from Williams put Presby ahead 9-8, but a three-point run by the Bulldogs pushed them to an 11-9 advantage. Despite another kill from Miller, SC State held on to their lead at 12-10.
 
Miller struck again, and a well-placed service ace by Aubrie Arnold forced the Bulldogs to call a timeout as the blue and garnet edged ahead, 13-12. Though a Hutchinson kill followed, SC State tied the set at 14 apiece with a pair of kills.
 
Presbyterian seized momentum with kills from Anna Baranski, Yurkovich, and Williams, along with a Baranski service ace, extending their lead to 19-14. SC State answered with three points of their own, but a service error cut their streak short and pushed PC to the 20-point mark.
 
The teams continued to trade kills, with PC's coming from Miller and Williams, bringing the Blue Hose's lead to 22-19. Two errors from the Bulldogs set up set point for PC, and Hutchinson's hard-hit kill sealed it, taking the set 25-19.
 
THIRD SET
The Blue Hose carried their momentum from the first two sets, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the third set. SC State notched a kill to get on the board, but PC didn't relent, as kills from Miller and Hutchinson extended the score to 6-1, prompting an early timeout from the Bulldogs.
 
After the break, Williams added another kill, followed by a service ace from Courtney Aulbaugh to push PC's lead to 8-1. SC State picked up a kill, but the Blue Hose responded with a four-point run, highlighted by two kills from Miller and a service ace from Amaris Alvarez. The teams traded points, with Presbyterian maintaining a commanding 14-4 lead.
 
Kills from Yurkovich and Smith, along with two from SC State, moved the score to 16-6. With Celimar Hoyos at the service line, the Blue Hose went on a six-point run, including two well-placed aces from Hoyos, giving Presby a comfortable 22-6 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs managed a pair of kills, but Williams answered with two of her own, bringing PC to set point at 24-8. Miller sealed the match with a powerful kill, giving the Blue Hose a dominant 25-8 victory in the third set.
 
NOTABLES
- The Blue Hose held the advantage in kills (40-21), assists (38-19), service aces (6-4), and digs (54-44). They also recorded an impressive .326 hitting percentage, while limiting their opponents to a -.029 percentage.
- Miller tallied 12 kills with a .400 hitting percentage.
- Williams added nine kills, hitting at an efficient .444.
- Hutchinson contributed eight kills, finishing with an outstanding .727 hitting percentage.
- Baranski directed the offense with 29 assists, adding seven digs on defense.

TERRIER INVITE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sarah MacLean (Wofford) – MVP
Mary Emily Morgan (Wofford)
Laney Klika (Wofford)
Emma Hickey (Valpo)
Elise Swistek (Valpo)
Courtney Williams (Presbyterian)
Kaia Barnett (SC State)

UP NEXT
The Blue Hose will begin Big South Conference play with a road test against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Friday, September 27 at 6:00 p.m.