HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Miss volleyball dropped a four-set match to Troy on Friday at the Wellness Center. The Golden Eagles are 11-3 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play, while Troy improves to 7-5 and remains tied for first place in the conference with a 2-1 record.
Southern Miss fought hard but fell short, losing 25-20, 25-22, 28-30, 27-25. The Golden Eagles posted 49 kills and a season-high 14 team blocks. They also added 10 service aces, marking the fourth time this season they have reached double figures in aces. Troy finished with 54 kills and 13 blocks. Southern Miss held an 81-67 advantage in digs, according to the match statistics.
Sadie McAda led the Golden Eagles offensively with 19 kills and 16 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. Allie Hazelwood contributed 39 assists and 12 digs for her second straight double-double and fourth overall. Sunni Sheppard led the team defensively with 17 digs, and Maggie Sewell added a career-high eight blocks, including two solo stops. Elly Stewart had nine kills while hitting .350.
The match was competitive from start to finish. Troy took control early in the first set, building a 6-1 lead before Southern Miss rallied to cut the deficit. Troy ultimately closed out the set, 25-20. The second set remained close, with Troy taking it 25-22 after Southern Miss briefly led at 17-16. The Golden Eagles responded with their strongest set of the night, winning 30-28 after a back-and-forth finish that included multiple ties and set points.
In the fourth set, Troy built a 16-10 lead before Sheppard sparked a rally with three consecutive aces. Southern Miss tied the set at 21-21, but Troy held on to win 27-25 after a series of late scoring exchanges. The teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Wellness Center to conclude the weekend series.
Southern Miss will look to even the series in the rematch. Follow the Golden Eagles’ updates on their official social media channels.
