LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama volleyball team held tough with the preseason favorites in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) in the University of West Florida in a straight-set defeat on Tuesday night to begin GSC play. 

West Florida, ranked 16th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, improves to 7-4 and 1-0 in GSC play, while West Alabama dropped to 2-9 and 0-1 in league play. 

We showed very impressive play tonight, hanging tough with the No. 16 team in the nation. Tonight was our best match of the season. This is something that we can build on and make our future much brighter," said head coach John Schmidt. 

UWA started the opener with a 2-0 lead after back-to-back kills by Jaida Alvin and Chyna Dixon. From there, the teams went back and forth and made it a 9-4 lead thanks to a 5-0 run. During the rally, Ally Craig posted two kills, Desiree Blount recorded two service aces and Johanna Martin posted a block.

Later in the set, tied at 15, West Florida won four of the next five points to take a 19-16 lead. UWA did make it a 21-19 deficit, but four straight points by UWF made it a 1-0 match lead. 

In the second frame, the Tigers made it a 3-3 score, but a 9-1 run by the visitors flipped the score in the wrong direction for the Tigers. 

Trailing 18-9, UWA did win five of the next six points to make it 19-14 thanks to back-to-back kills by Dixon. Later in the set, after a Berfin Mertcan kill and a Cloe Bonvillain ace, an attack error by UWF cut the deficit down to four points, 22-18. 

The rally would be cut short, as UWF took the 2-0 set lead with three out of the four final points. 

In the third set, with the Argos up 11-9, they pushed away from the Tigers with an 11-4 run to swell the lead to 22-13. UWA did have one last attempt to get back into the game, taking four of the next five points, but it would be UWF taking the match in straight sets. 

UWA recorded double-digit kills in each set, out-performing UWF 33-30 for the match. The Tigers tallied 11 kills to the Argos' six in set number one. 

Chyna Dixon and Ally Craig led UWA with eight kills each. Jaida Alvin had eight digs and six kills. Jaida Alvin added eight digs and six kills. 

Splitting time at the setter position, Berfin Mertcan and Desiree Blount had 15 and 12 assists, respectively, while Quiara Dunson tallied 16 digs. 

Avery Rodgers led West Florida with nine kills, while Meg Brackhan and Annia Monaco each added 10 digs. 

West Alabama next prepares for a road trip to Tennessee, starting with Christian Brothers on Friday.