LIVINGSTON, Ala. — West Alabama opened Gulf South Conference play with a straight-set victory Friday night, sweeping Mississippi College 3-0 inside Pruitt Hall.
The Tigers won by scores of 25-18, 25-17 and 25-19, extending their school-record winning streak to 25 consecutive sets. West Alabama hit .306 for the match while holding the Choctaws to a .026 attacking percentage.
Junior
Katerina Korre, named Player of the Match, led the West Alabama attack with a match-high 15 kills on 27 attacks with just two errors, finishing with a .481 hitting percentage. Korre also added four digs and a block assist for a match-high 15.5 points.
The opening set remained close throughout the early stages. Mississippi College pulled even at 15-15 before West Alabama began to create separation. After the Choctaws tied the set again at 17, the Tigers closed the frame on an 8-1 run.
Korre put UWA ahead 19-17 with a kill before three consecutive Mississippi College attacking errors extended the advantage to 22-17.
Cadence Goeden eventually put the Tigers at set point, and Klára Bobánová finished the frame with a kill to secure the 25-18 victory. West Alabama hit .333 with 12 kills and only two attacking errors in the opening set.
West Alabama jumped ahead 7-3 in the second set before Mississippi College answered with four consecutive points to even the score. The Tigers responded by regaining control and building a 14-8 advantage before eventually stretching the lead to 17-9.
The Choctaws cut the deficit to five at 18-13, but UWA maintained control down the stretch. Korre delivered the Tigers' final two kills of the frame, giving West Alabama a 25-17 victory and a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Mississippi College produced its strongest start of the night in the third set, racing out to an 8-2 advantage behind four consecutive service aces from Meg Paparella.
West Alabama steadily erased the deficit, eventually pulling even at 14-14. A block from Bobánová and
Duru Seber then gave the Tigers their first lead of the set at 15-14.
After Mississippi College tied the score at 15, UWA took command with seven consecutive points. Goeden supplied a kill and a solo block during the stretch, while Bobánová added another kill to extend the Tigers' advantage to 22-15.
The Choctaws made a late push, but Bobánová put West Alabama at match point before Goeden delivered the final kill to secure the 25-19 victory and complete the sweep.
Korre's 15 kills led all players, while Goeden added nine kills and Bobánová finished with seven.
Jazlyn Snow contributed four kills on nine attacks with a .333 hitting percentage.
Freshman setter
Rachele Zanini directed the offense with 30 assists and 14 digs for a double-double.
Bailey Keef added 12 digs, while West Alabama finished with 47 digs as a team. The Tigers also recorded seven total team blocks.
West Alabama hit .333 in the opening set before posting a .294 hitting percentage in each of the final two frames. The Tigers finished with 39 kills and just nine attacking errors on 98 attempts. Mississippi College was limited to 32 kills and 29 errors on 115 attempts.
The victory gives West Alabama a win in its Gulf South Conference opener while extending the program's school-record consecutive-set winning streak to 25 sets.
The Tigers return to Pruitt Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 22, for another Gulf South Conference matchup against Union University (Tenn.). First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Livingston.
