Bulldogs Extinguish Blazers in Birmingham

Saturday, August 31

Birmingham, Ala.

5 p.m.

Mississippi State

1-1,0-0SEC

UAB

1-1,0-0AAC

Mississippi St.

UAB

Bulldogs Extinguish Blazers in Birmingham

August 31, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: William Simmons, Communications Fellow

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Mississippi State Bulldogs picked up their first victory of the 2024 campaign, as they defeated the UAB Blazers 3-1. Karli Schmidt led the way for the Road Dawgs, picking up a team-high 19 kills.

"Karli's a spark plug, she does a great job on the floor," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "She was exactly what we needed on the left side. Whenever we needed something, she stepped up to the challenge and got it done. Really proud of the effort she showed on the court."

Schmidt started the contest hot, picking up six kills throughout the first 14 State points. Amina Shackelford and Kailin Newsome both picked up double-digit kills, earning 15 and 10, respectively. Shackelford hit a team best .385 throughout the contest. Newsome picked up her second double-double of the campaign, as she added 13 digs to her performance.

Ceci Harness helped the attack for the Dawgs, picking up a team high 33 assists in the contest. Cayley Hanson set a career-high with 19 assists. At the net, the middle-blocking duo of Arissa Smith and Sanaa Williams, along with outside hitter Arianna Beckham, rejected plenty of attacks, as they each picked up five total blocks.

"Any road win is a good win," Dennis said. "It's so hard to beat someone on their own court because we know how much we love to play on ours. Road wins are huge, but we're ready to get home and open play in Starkvegas."

The Bulldogs will return to Starkville for their home opener at the Newell-Grissom Building for the Starkvegas classic. State will host Michigan in the opening game on September 6, and will close it out against Notre Dame on September 8.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on volleyball. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateVB' on X, Facebook and Instagram.