LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama volleyball team dropped a Gulf South Conference (GSC) volleyball contest in four sets to Shorter University, Friday evening from Pruitt Hall. 

Shorter picked up its first conference win of year and is now 4-10 and 1-5 in the league. West Alabama drops to 3-14 and 1-6 in GSC action. 

The teams went back and forth in the first set. Trailing 15-14, UWA went on a rally that saw back-to-back spikes from Johanna Martin and Cloe Bonvillain that sparked a 5-3 run. However, trailing 20-17, SU didn't see the deficit for long, as they won the final eight points with two kills each by Caroline Sivills and Laila Bernardino during the rally. 

In the second stanza, after UWA won the first three points, the Hawks won six of the next seven points. Later in the period, tied at 11 after an Amellia Johnigan kill, SU went on a 14-4 run the remainder of the set, including nine of the final 10 points. 

In set number three, Shorter and West Alabama played a tight battle. However, SU posted nine attack errors. Leading 22-20, the Tigers won the final three points to force the fourth set thanks to a Chyna Dixon kill, an Ally Craig ace and an attack error by Sivills. 

The Hawks rallied with four straight points to open the fourth set and led 5-2 early. Later, trailing 10-7, UWA saw a service error by Marysa Ocampso and two service aces by Quiara Dunson to give the Tigers the 11-10 advantage. 

However, that did not last long, as the visitors made it a 16-11 affair with five straight points. UWA did rally and reclaim the lead after a Martin kill and a block by Martin and Jaida Alvin to give the home team the 22-20 lead. 

Needing three points to force the deciding fifth set, SU had other plans, winning four straight points to get to match point. UWA did get the side-out on a Dixon kill to make it 24-23, but a set error by UWA ended the match with Shorter coming out victorious. 

The night was strong for West Alabama's front row. Posting a .154 hitting percentage (40-21-123), the Tigers fared better than their competitors, who posted a .148 swing percentage (42-24-122). In addition, UWA's 40 kills matched the second-highest mark in a four-set match this season, missing the high mark at Midwestern State (43). 

Chyna Dixon led the Tigers with an 11-kill night and a .233 hitting percentage on 30 swings. The junior added 2.5 blocks and eight assists. 

Jaida Alvin also had double-digits in the kill column with 10 on a .280 attack percentage. On defense, Quiara Dunson recorded 14 digs and added two aces. 

Johanna Martin added 7.5 points thanks to five kills and 2.5 blocks, while Berfin Mertcan recorded 23 assists, eight digs and two aces. 

For Shorter, Caroline Sivills led all attackers with 16 kills and added 4.5 blocks, including three on her own. 

UWA will continue the three-match home stand on Saturday afternoon when Lee comes to Livingston. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Pruitt Hall.