CHARLESTON – Friday evening, Charleston Southern swept USC Upstate in straight sets (25-22, 25-20, 25-19). The Bucs have not defeated the Spartans since 2022 and have not swept the conference opponent since 1993. Friday's contest also served as CSU Volleyball's inaugural Alumni Night as the program welcomed nearly two dozen former players and coaches back to Buccaneer Fieldhouse.

After trading points well into the second half of the first set, USC Upstate held a 22–19 lead. Needing a shift in momentum, an Emma Bednarek kill followed by two service aces from Skylar Yates sparked a 6-0 CSU run, allowing the Bucs to take the opening set, 25–22.

The momentum from the first frame carried over into set two, as CSU jumped out to a 4–0 lead. Another 6–2 Buccaneer run moments later extended the home team's advantage to 15–9. The two Big South clubs traded points for the remainder of the set, but CSU's early surge proved decisive, securing the frame 25–20.

Oliwia Durka posted two quick kills to help the Bucs build an early 6–2 lead in set three. A kill by USC Upstate's standout player, Aly O'Grady, cut the CSU lead to one at 17–16. With momentum up for grabs in the potential clinching set, Charleston Southern rattled off a four-point stretch—the longest of the period. Fittingly, Durka, who helped fuel CSU's strong start in the set, closed out the match with her eighth kill of the night, sealing the Bucs' 12th win of the season and their first victory over USC Upstate in three years.
 

Notables:

• Skylar Yates posted a double-double stat line with 12 kills (team-high) and 14 digs (also team-high).

• Yates also tied her career-high with 4 service aces Friday night. The last time she recorded that many aces was 20 days prior at USC Upstate.

• Naya Martinez recorded her 100th career dig Friday night – she has 106 on her career.

• Cara McLean and Tristin Sutton received Coach Brown's Co-Players of the Match award after the duo combined for 31 assists and 22 digs in the only three-set match.

• Emily Struckmeyer led the Bucs' with a .556 attacking percentage – her 4th highest mark in the category this season.

Up Next:

CSU will host a team they beat earlier this month, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs on Saturday, October 25th at 6:00 PM. The match will not be broadcast on ESPN+.

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