AUBURN – Charleston Southern played a pair of matches to open their weekend at the Tiger Invitational facing Mercer and hosts, #25 Auburn. After a slow start in the first match, they took the opening set from the nationally ranked Tigers. This was the first matchup for CSU with a Power 5 program since they played three in 2015, taking sets from in-state programs Clemson and South Carolina. The top-25 designation becomes the first time that the Buccaneers have taken a set from anyone that is ranked in the 44 year history of the program.
Game One: Mercer – 3, Charleston Southern – 0
The Bears got out to a quick lead 7-1 in the first set and were able to control the pace and take it by a 25-17 score. During the second, the Buccaneers were the ones able to get the early edge in the frame as they lead 6-3. CSU drew within one at 13-12 after surrendering the lead, but Mercer rattled off eight unanswered to move to a 2-0 advantage in the match.
During the third, the teams stayed neck-and-neck with neither able to build a substantial lead on the other. The Bears claimed a late flurry of points to get the victory in their opening match of the weekend.
Giada Pais-Marden led the team in kills as she finished with 11 with
Jyriah Morgan joining her in double digits with 10. This marks Pais-Marden's fourth game finishing with more than 10 kills in a match and Morgan's third.
Skylar Yates had six,
Indigo Young had five and
Brenna Rowland added four.
Ilaria Durante ended with 31 assists, her second time this year averaging more than ten per set.
On the defensive end, Rowland continued to be a strong presence at the net collecting three total blocks. On the back row,
Mallory Neale had the libero spot for today for the first time and finished with seven digs. Durante led the team in digs as she had ten with
Angelika Rusin also having a solid morning with five.
Game Two: Charleston Southern – 1, Auburn – 3
The first set, the home team played on their heels as the Buccaneers creeped back into the match to take the frame. The Tigers led 15-8 going into the media timeout, but the Bucs slowly started to work their way back in. With the margin still at seven, CSU put together a 3-0 and 4-0 stretch, to cut their deficit to a point. Charleston Southern then took the lead as part of a 5-0 scoring run to put them a point away and sealed it with a kill by
Indigo Young for the early edge.
In the second, Auburn and CSU traded points, but the Tigers used five 3-0 surges to take the victory in the set at 25-16. The third, Auburn started off with a 7-0 lead and cruised to the win at 25-9. In the fourth and final set, the Tigers got on the board quickly again and built their lead. The Buccaneers were able to string together some rallies, as they put the ranked program on their heels.
Young led the team in kills as she collected nine in the evening with Yates right behind with seven. Pais-Marden and Rowland each had six while Morgan finished with five.
Kahea Carvalho led the team in assists for the first time this year as she had 17 while Durante had 15.
Defensively, the Buccaneers had a trio of players who had more than ten digs with Neale having 13. Rusin and Carvalho each finished with 11 on the night. Durante and Yates posted solid nights as well with eight and seven respectively. Rowland and Young led the team in blocks as they each had four assists on the night while Morgan and Yates collected three apiece.
The Buccaneers will return to Neville Arena for the weekend finale as they will matchup with Middle Tennessee State on Saturday with a first serve scheduled for noon EST/11 a.m. CT.
