NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team picked up a pair of victories on Saturday at the CSU Buccaneer Invitational. The Bulldogs began the day with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-12) victory over Bethune-Cookman, then closed out the day with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-18, 25-16) victory over Charleston Southern.
 
The Citadel 3, Bethune-Cookman 0
How it Happened

• The Bulldogs started quickly as they raced out to a 5-0 advantage in the opening set after a pair of service aces from Kenzie Kellerman.
• The lead would grow to as big as eight points on a kill from Alicia Roberts before finally reaching a nine-point advantage after Ali Ruffin ended the set with a kill.
• The Bulldogs used the momentum from the opening-set victory to put together one of its best sets in several years.
• The Citadel stormed out to a 15-4 lead and carried it into a 25-9 victory.
• The third set was more of the same as a kill from Sharlissa de Jesus gave the Bulldogs an 8-1 advantage.
• The lead would grow to 13 points on a kill from Ruffin, before Gina Delancey ended the match with an ace.

 
Inside the Box Score

• The Bulldogs held the Wildcats to just nine points in the second set. It was the first time since Sept. 9, 2017 the Bulldogs held an opponent to single digits. In that match, the Bulldogs held Hampton to just seven points in the opening set.
• Sharlissa de Jesus led the offense with 14 kills.
• Alicia Roberts added a career-best 11 kills and two block assists.
• Ali Ruffin had a team-high 12 kills.

 
The Citadel 3, Charleston Southern 1
How it Happened

• The Bulldogs and Buc played a back-and-forth set that went down to the wire. In the end, it was a service error from the Bucs and a kill from Alicia Roberts that gave the Bulldogs the opening set.
• The Bulldogs fell behind early in the second set and were not able to battle all the way back. After falling behind by double digits, the Bulldogs managed to battle back within six points before dropping the set.
• The Citadel rebounded in the third set to break open a tight set late. A kill by Ali Ruffin gave the Bulldogs a 14-13 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish.
• The lead grew to as many as even on a pair of occasions, including a set-ending kill from de Jesus.
• The Bulldogs took advantage of three CSU hitting errors to open up a 6-1 advantage in the fourth set.
• CSU was able to tie the match, 10-10, Alicia Roberts followed with a kill and the Bulldogs never looked back.
• Makaya Middleton served up an ace to give the Bulldogs a six-point advantage.
• That momentum continued the momentum the rest of the set and match point was set up on an ace from Brooke Shively.
• The match came to an end when Roberts and Belle Hogan combined for a block.

 
Inside the Box Score

• Sharlissa de Jesus posted her third double-double of the season with 15 kills and 13 digs.
• Alicia Roberts added eight kills, seven block assists and two solo blocks.
• As a team, the Bulldogs had 16 blocks.
• Gina Delancey had seven block assists and Makaya Middleton added six.
• Kenzie Kellerman added 10 digs.
• Belle Hogan finished with 37 assists and eight digs.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to McAlister Field House for a pair of matches in The Citadel Tournament. They will take on South Carolina State on Sept. 16 and Presbyterian on Sept. 17. Both matches are set for 6 p.m.