JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Trailing by two sets, The Citadel staged a dramatic comeback inside the J. Madison Brooks Gymnasium on Monday evening to claim its first-ever victory over Southern Conference foe ETSU in a 3-2 decision (16-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-13).
 
Score: The Citadel 3, ETSU 2
Records: The Citadel (6-11, 4-8), ETSU (5-7, 5-7)
Location: Johnson City, Tenn. (J. Madison Brooks Gymnasium)
 
How it Happened

• The Citadel jumped on top early, scoring five of the match's first six points to grab a quick lead. ETSU rallied back, however, notching 11 of the next 13 points to build a 12-7 lead following a ballhandling error by Amie Greene.
• Twice the Bulldogs were able to trim the deficit to four points, but The Citadel was unable to get closer than that as ETSU pulled away on the back of a 5-1 run to close out the set with a 25-16 margin.
• In the second set, neither side could gain much separation until the Bucs scored four straight points to build an 11-8 advantage. The Citadel quickly answered with five straight points, punctuated by a kill from Sharlissa de Jesus, to grab a 16-15 lead midway through the set.
• Another long unanswered stretch for ETSU, this time five consecutive points, built a 21-17 lead for the Bucs and the Bulldogs were unable to climb back into the lead as ETSU grabbed a two-set lead entering the break.
• The Citadel exploded out of the break to start the third set, scoring the first nine points to seize control of the must-win frame. Four different players recorded a kill during the stretch for the Bulldogs.
• Through the set, the Bulldogs were able to maintain their edge, but the Bucs closed to within one point, 19-18, on a kill by Sara Esposito. Despite nearly giving up the lead, however, The Citadel closed out the set to force a fourth set without trailing.
• Much like the third set, The Citadel surged to an early edge by winning five of the first six points to open the fourth, capped by a block from de Jesus and Alicia Roberts.
• Trailing 13-10, ETSU used five unanswered points to grab its first lead of the set, but The Citadel again battled back to retake a 19-18 lead on Greene's kill.
• Down 21-20 after an attack error, the Bulldogs scored the next four points and an attack error by ETSU's Jenna Forster sent the match to a decisive fifth set.
• ETSU raced out to a 5-0 lead in the final set, but The Citadel pieced together an 8-1 run midway through the frame to grab a 10-7 advantage over the Bucs.
• The Bucs forced a pair of ties at 11-11 and 13-13, but ultimately the Bulldogs won the final two points, with Mellanie King sealing the come-from-behind victory on an ace on match point.
   

Inside the Box Score

• Monday's victory was The Citadel's first ever in the series against ETSU, snapping a 24-match losing streak against the Bucs that dated back to 1998.
• The Citadel rallied from two sets down to win a match for the first time since Sept. 21, 2019, when the Bulldogs accomplished the feat against Florida A&M.
• The Citadel matched its program record with four conference victories for the third consecutive season.
• Monday's match marked The Citadel's first with four double-doubles since Aug. 28, 2015, against UT Martin.
• Sharlissa de Jesus tallied her ninth double-double of the season with 18 kills and 12 digs.
• Makaya Middleton had season highs in both kills (13) and digs (11) for her first double-double of the campaign.
• Mellanie King also tallied a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. King now sits just seven kills shy of joining The Citadel's 1,000-kill club.
• Amie Greene, the reigning SoCon Setter of the Week, tallied her third double-double of 2020-21 with 45 assists and 10 digs.

Up Next
The Citadel will wrap up its 2020-21 home slate with a visit from UNCG next week as it hosts the Spartans inside McAlister Field House on Sunday (3 p.m.) and Monday (5 p.m.). Monday's match will double as the program's Senior Day.