CHARLESTON – Charleston Southern finished their nonconference schedule on Saturday evening as they played a pair of matches to conclude the Buccaneer Invitational sponsored by O'Charley's and Panera Bread. They opened the day with a fiery comeback bid The Citadel, losing in five sets with the Bulldogs improving to 12-0 on the year. The Bucs finished the night with a 3-0 sweep of South Carolina State. In the first match of the day, Indigo Young set a career-high in points, blocks and kills and Giada Pais-Marden collected her 1000^th career point.
 
Game One: The Citadel – 3, Charleston Southern – 2
In the first set, The Citadel used a 5-0 stretch to push the lead to 12-6 and gain an early advantage. They got the score to 22-12 before the Buccaneers had a late 7-0 run draw within three near the end of the set with Angelika Rusin on the service line. The Bulldogs still prevailed in the first at 25-20.
 
During the second, the teams went back and forth at the start of the game. The teams were deadlocked at 13 apiece but the Bulldogs took a 4-0 swing to take control of the set. They remained ahead until CSU stormed back late to get the set even again at 23 each. The Citadel had a pair of kills to seal the second.
 
In the third, the Buccaneers started to get rolling as they got their first frame of the day. CSU had an early 5-0 stretch with Pais-Marden picking up 2.5 points over it. The Citadel were able to stay close and took the lead away once and tie it, but the Bucs offense was rolling as they notched 15 kills on just three errors. With the score at 22-21 with CSU leading the team churned out another three points to get set.
 
The Buccaneer offense had one of their best sets of the season during the fourth as they got out to a quick 4-0 lead. The team hit .400 during it with 17 kills on 35 attacks with just three errors. During the middle of the set, the team had a 5-0 and 4-0 unanswered stretch to cruise to the 25-11 game victory to force the fifth.
 
During the fifth, The Citadel had a 5-0 stretch in the middle of it to surge in front at 8-5. CSU brought it within a point after kills by Pais-Marden and Jyriah Morgan had it at 8-7. The Bulldogs were able to build their lead back up and get the win at 15-11 in the final.
 
By the end of the match, Young had 19 kills and seven blocks, each marking career hills for the senior middle blocker. Also in other career records, Pais-Marden had 16 total points on the night to exceed 1000 for her career as she now has 1006.5 across her five collegiate years.
 
Additionally, the Bucs had a pair of other players finish in double digits for kills with Pais-Marden and Emmy Rollins having 15 and 10. Ilaria Durante led the team in assists with 30, her fifth time reaching that mark. Kahea Carvalho dished 15 on the night with Angelika Rusin notching nine.
 
On the defensive end, there were four players who notched six or more digs as four had more than ten. Rusin led all players with 23 digs. Also in double figures were Skylar Yates (17), Durante (14) and Carvalho (11). At the net, Young had the most total blocks with seven. Brenna Rowland was right behind her with five as Rollins added four and Morgan had three.
 
Game Two: South Carolina State – 0, Charleston Southern – 3
The Buccaneers were able to end their six-match losing streak coming into the match with their second sweep against South Carolina State in the final match of the tournament. CSU took the sets by score of 25-16, 25-11 and 25-15.
 
In the first the team collected 14 kills and capped the night with 15 in the final set. Young posted another solid night with ten kills between two of the sets during the night. Rusin had 14 between the first and final sets as well to lead all players with Skylar Yates and Durante having eight and seven respectively. Durante dished 14 assists while Carvalho had 11.
 
Charleston Southern hit .247 between the first and final sets while holding the Bulldogs to a .031 average.

All-Tournament Team Announced

MVP - #18 Ali Ruffin - The Citadel
#20 Angelina Sayles - The Citadel
#25 Maddy Cardenas - The Citadel
#3 Shelby Chamblin - Florida A&M
#9 Brooke Hudson - Florida A&M
#8 Indigo Young - CSU
#11 Ilaria Durante - CSU
#4 Hailey Harris - S.C. State
 
Charleston Southern returns to action on Friday, September 16 with a 6:00 p.m. first serve as they open turn the corner for the second half of their schedule and open their Big South slate. They will face off with Presbyterian and have the match designated as their annual Military and First Responders Appreciation Night.