GREENWOOD - In a thrilling three-set match, the Lander volleyball team made program history as they secured a share of the Peach Belt Conference regular season title—their first in program history– in a 3-0 sweep over Augusta. Ranked third in the latest Southeast regional standings, Lander triumphed over second-ranked Augusta in front of a crowd of 776 fans at a packed Horne Arena.
"What a great match. It was a battle of two heavyweights in the Peach Belt. While it was over in three sets, it was a hard-fought match by both teams and could have easily gone the other way. I couldn't be more proud of the way our kids battled throughout the entire match," said Head Coach Jeff Reynolds.
"We appreciate everyone who came out tonight to support the team. The crowd was fantastic and played a huge part in tonight's outcome."
How it Happened
Set 1: Lander came out strong in the first set, seizing an early lead and capitalizing on Augusta's errors to maintain momentum.
Katie Miller and
Blondie Penaflor led the charge, with Miller delivering key kills and Penaflor providing crucial blocks. Augusta struggled with consistency, committing multiple attack errors, which allowed Lander to pull ahead comfortably. Despite a late push from the Jaguars, the Bearcats closed out the set with a final block by
Lauren Dow, securing a 25-15 victory and setting the tone for the match.
Set 2: The second set was an intense back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading points and neither able to pull ahead decisively.
Madde Blake and Miller drove Lander's offense, while Augusta's persistent attacks kept the score close. The Bearcats capitalized on Jaguar's errors in the final stretch, and Miller delivered two clutch kills to break a 27-27 tie, securing the set 29-27 and putting Lander up 2-0 in the match.
Set 3: The third set was a nail-biter, with Lander and Augusta trading leads in a high-stakes battle.
Breana Pelbath, Miller, and Blake came through with crucial kills for Lander, while Augusta fought back to tie the score multiple times, forcing extra points. Ultimately, Lander's defense held firm and Miller delivered the final points to secure a narrow 28-26 win, clinching the sweep and sealing Lander's share of the historic conference title.
Katie Miller led Lander with 18 kills and 18 digs, while Blondie Penaflor contributed seven blocks, and Emmi Cheek matched Miller with 18 digs, highlighting a well-rounded team effort. Lauren Dow directed the offense with 34 assists, adding four blocks to her impressive performance.
Final Thoughts
"It's really special to be part of a championship, but to be part of a program's first-ever championship is so rewarding," Reynolds stated. "There have been so many people involved in this quest over the past four seasons, and they all have played such an important role in helping us build this program. I have so much gratitude for everyone involved."
Up Next
Lander currently leads the Peach Belt Conference standings with a 6-1 conference record. Their final regular season match is against Flagler College, who is right behind them at 5-2.
If Lander wins its match Friday, they will finish 7-1 in conference play, claiming the regular season championship outright. However, if Flagler takes the match, both teams will end with a 6-2 record, meaning they will share the title as co-champions.
The Bearcats will travel to St. Augustine on Friday, Nov. 15, to face Flagler College, the second-ranked team in the conference, in a showdown for the outright Peach Belt regular season title. The first serve will take place at 6 p.m.
