CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel volleyball team drops their home-opener in five (25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-8) on Tuesday evening in McAlister Field House. 
 
Game Information
Score: Charleston Southern (3), The Citadel (2)
Records: Charleston Southern (5-6), The Citadel (4-6)
Location: McAlister Field House (Charleston, S.C.)
Series: Charleston Southern leads 22-8. 


How it Happened
 

• Charleston Southern opened the match with a 5-1 lead. The Bulldogs used three kills from Ali Ruffin to tie the set at 6-6. 
• The Buccaneers pulled ahead and took another three-point lead, but once again The Citadel fought and met back up at 17.
• A seven-point run from the Bucs neared them to the end of the set, and the Bulldogs were not able to recover (25-18).
• The Citadel took the first two points of the second with a service ace from Amie Greene and a kill from Ruffin. 
• Charleston Southern returned the points and the set was still tied at 10-10.
• The Bucs took a temporary lead, but the Bulldogs lit a fire and took off on nine-point run with a whopping five kills from Sadie Gomez.
• The set ended 25-21 after a Buccaneer service error. 
• Charleston Southern took a quick 10-5 advantage in the third set.
• The Citadel pulled within one with multiple kills from Maddy Cardenas, Gomez and a service ace from Jaelynn Elgert, but after another run from the Buccaneers it proved to not be enough (25-21).
• The fourth set saw an early lead from the Bulldogs with dispersed kills from Gomez, Cardenas, Gomez and Belle Hogan.
• The Citadel held the lead until a four-point streak from Charleston Southern tied the teams at 17.
• Points were evenly exchanged and the set was still tied at 19, but two kills from Ruffin, one from Gina Delancey and a service ace from Kenzie Kellerman allowed the Bulldogs to take the set and force a fifth (25-21).
• A kill from Ruffin and block assists from Gomez and Cardenas put the fifth set 2-2, but the Bucs pushed onto a 7-2 lead. 
• Although the Bulldogs returned a few points with addition kills from Ruffin, Cardenas, Delancey, Cardenas and Gomez, it was ultimately not enough and Charleston Southern took the set 15-8.

 
Inside the Box Score
 

• Ali Ruffin recorded 19 kills, 10 digs and four block assists.
• Sadie Gomez followed with 13 kills and Maddy Cardenas with 10.
• Amie Greene handed out 19 assists and Belle Hogan followed with 18.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel to Buies Creek, N.C. to participate in one last regular-season tournament (Fairfield Inn and Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational ) Sept. 16-17. The Citadel will go against North Carolina Central on Friday (3:00 p.m.), then Robert Morris (2:00 p.m.) and Campbell (6:00 p.m.) on Saturday.