Kennesaw State volleyball earns win over USC Upstate

Release from Kennesaw State Athletics:

KENNESAW, Ga. – Anaiah Boyer’s fourth double-double in a row led the Kennesaw State volleyball team (9-13, 3-5) in a comeback victory over USC Upstate in five sets (25-18, 19-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-7) on Oct. 25.

“It was a bit of a rollercoaster tonight,” head coach Keith Schunzel said. “We played really well in set one then not so much in sets two or three, but then came out clean and aggressive in sets four and five. I’m proud of our team for digging themselves out of that rut which isn’t an easy thing to do. We regrouped and came out in the last two sets and came out with a win.”

Boyer finished the match with 14 kills, 11 digs and four blocks. Ria Ridley saw her most extensive action of the season never coming off the floor, and she set a career high with 20 digs while adding eight kills.

The setting duties were split today and Kristi Piedimonte had 35 assists and Michelle Witt finished with 12.

Katarina Morton led the team with 26 digs and chipped in with six assists.

Trailing 2-1 in sets, the Owls came out in the fourth and grabbed the lead immediately going up 6-1. After giving up an early lead in the third, KSU made sure not to let Upstate back in the set closing it out 25-20 with Piedimonte serving.

Piedimonte started the fifth set serving and guided the Owls on a 9-0 run to ease the Owls’ fan’s nerves. Defensively, the team really stepped up in the final set with six team blocks led by Cierra Royster, who had five of her nine block assists helping the Owls complete the comeback.