Lions break attendance record with West Georgia sweep

Sophomore outside hitter Lexie Bradley (Purple 12) attempts the kill for the Lions. UNA defeated West Georgia in three straight sets and broke the school record for volleyball attendance Sept. 29.

The UNA volleyball team dispatched the West Georgia Wolves 3-0 in front of a packed Flowers Hall Tuesday night.

The official attendance was 935, the largest in program history. Head coach Stephanie Radecki said the crowd played a big role in the Lions overpowering conference win.

“I think (the fans) were huge, especially at the beginning of the first set,” she said. “Having this crowd here, I’m speechless. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a crowd like that in this gym.”

UNA looked dominant to start the match, taking the first set 25-6. The Lions went on to win the last two sets 25-13 and 25-17.

Offensively, junior outside hitter Natasha Fomina led the Lions with a team high 13 kills. Sophomore middle hitter Jessica Austin recorded 12 kills and a .733 hitting percentage.

“I think we pushed ourselves (on offense) more than usual,” Austin said. “We fed off the crowd and I think we did really great.”

The victory gives UNA its 12th consecutive victory, the longest winning streak for the program since 2006. UNA has swept its last six opponents and has not lost a set since Sept. 12.

Radecki said sometimes long winning streaks can make teams complacent, but she is confident that it will not be an issue.

“I don’t think the girls are ever going to be complacent,” she said. “They’re very focused on every day and every match. They have a great head on their shoulders. They are great athletes. They’re very intelligent players. I’m not worried about that.”

UNA improves to 12-2 overall and 6-0 in the Gulf South Conference. The Lions next two matches are on the road against conference rivals Alabama-Huntsville Oct. 1 and Mississippi College Oct. 3.