HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of West Alabama volleyball team advanced to the Gulf South Conference Tournament semifinals Thursday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over Mississippi Christian at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall. After splitting the opening two sets, the Tigers took control of the match to secure the win (25-22, 21-25, 25-16, 25-13).
West Alabama improved to 27-6 overall with the victory, earning a spot in Friday's semifinal matchup against Montevallo.
The opening set featured a back-and-forth battle as both teams worked to establish momentum. West Alabama held off Mississippi Christian down the stretch to claim the first set, 25-22.
Mississippi Christian answered in the second set, finding success offensively and hitting .343 to even the match with a 25-21 victory.
With the match tied at one set apiece, the Tigers began to take control in the third. West Alabama capitalized on Mississippi Christian's offensive struggles, holding the Choctaws to a negative hitting percentage while pulling away for a 25-16 win.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the fourth set, delivering their strongest offensive performance of the afternoon. West Alabama recorded 15 kills with just one attack error, hitting .424 in the final set. The Tigers built a commanding advantage and closed out the match with a 25-13 victory to secure their place in the semifinals.
Sophomore Klára Bobánová led West Alabama offensively with 16 kills, hitting .275 while adding seven digs, two service aces and two block assists.
Junior Katerina Korre contributed nine kills, three service aces and four block assists. Sophomore Jazlyn Snow added seven kills and seven total blocks, including one solo block, while Duru Seber finished with five kills and four block assists.
Freshman setter Rachele Zanini directed the Tigers' offense with 37 assists while adding a team-high 19 digs. Zanini was named UWA Player of the Match for her all-around performance, helping West Alabama secure its spot in the GSC Tournament semifinals.
Charlotte Kerscher added 18 digs, while Ola Winiarek collected 17 to contribute to the Tigers' defensive effort.
As a team, West Alabama finished with a .223 hitting percentage, 43 kills, 81 digs and 11 total blocks. The Tigers limited Mississippi Christian to a .110 hitting percentage, including a negative mark in the third set.
Caroline Downey led Mississippi Christian with 14 kills, while Reese Regner recorded 37 assists and 14 digs.
UP NEXT
West Alabama returns to action Friday, Nov. 13, for the Gulf South Conference Tournament semifinals against Montevallo. First serve is scheduled for noon at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall in Huntsville, Alabama.
Montevallo advances to the semifinal matchup following a four-set victory over Valdosta State on Thursday (26-28, 25-17, 25-22, 25-20).
