ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College recorded a pair of 3-1 wins Saturday to finish the Flagler Saints Invitational with a 2-1 record. The Saints defeated Brevard College (20-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-20) in the afternoon and then took care of Valdosta State University (25-23, 25-18, 16-25, 25-19) in the nightcap.
Brevard finished the tournament with a 0-4 record while Valdosta State posted a 1-2 mark. The University of Southern Indiana went a perfect 4-0.
Megan Hooks led the Flagler offense with 32 kills and a .347 hitting percentage on Saturday.
Sara Davis and
Genel Sturgeon added 23 and 21 kills, respectively.
Kayla Norelli collected 29 digs and
Tara Savisky tallied 85 assists and had 21 digs.
In the opener against Brevard the Saints fell behind the Tornados, dropping the first set 25-20. But from there it was all Flagler.
Davis hit a spectacular .406 with a match-high 15 kills and two errors on 32 swings. Hooks added 11 kills and hit a sizzling .455. Sturgeon chipped in with eight kills and three total blocks. Savisky tallied 38 assists and was just one dig shy of a double-double. Norelli collected a match-high 19 digs.
Brevard, a member of the South Atlantic Conference, was led by Savannah Cox and Callie Chappell who each had 12 kills. Chappell also recorded five service aces. Erin Barr finished with a double-double with 30 assists and 11 digs. Aleksandra Vrvilo collected 17 digs.
The match against Valdosta State, a member of the Gulf South Conference, proved to be a relatively tight match which featured 19 ties and seven lead changes, most of those occurring in the first and fourth sets.
Hooks again led the Saints with 21 kills which surpasses her previous career-high of 20 kills which she had Friday against Southern Indiana. She hit .300 with just six errors on 50 swings. Sturgeon added 13 kills while Savisky recorded a double-double with 47 assists and a team-high 12 digs. Davis added eight kills while
Ashley Cheewah tacked on five kills and three total blocks.
Tristyn Sells and Susanna Peonia each recorded 12 kills for the Blazers. Peonia completed the double-double with 17 digs. Carly Smart tallied 36 assists and Sydney Chick chipped in with 17 digs.
Flagler hosts its inaugural Flagler Saints Classic next weekend (Sept. 9-10) which will feature regional powers Wingate University and Armstrong State University. Erskine College, who knocked off regular season Peach Belt Conference champion USC Aiken in a regional quarterfinal last year, will be in town along with King College and Limestone College.
