GADSDEN – Freshman Lena Kindermann stroked a hard-hit ball right through the defense for her 15th and final kill to clinch a thrilling five-set affair late Friday for the Jacksonville State volleyball team over the Bradley Braves.
 
JSU (5-4) handed the Braves (6-2) their second loss of the season despite being outhit .204 to .289. Sophomore Lexie Libs directed an offense that would produce four double-digit kill recipients lead by Kindermann's 15. Senior Mackenzie Rombach had a season best with 14 as she hammered home a powerful .423 clip to go along with three defensive blocks. Sadie Anderson and Addie Halverson also reached double figures with 10 kills each as Libs dished 51 assists overall, coming one shy of her career mark.
 
Bradley wasn't without its own offensive threats lead by Erica Haslag's match-high 18 kills. But the Gamecock defense stuck with it digging out 66 total attacks. Four Gamecocks finished with 10 or more digs beginning with libero Kaylie Milton's 18. Behind Milton, former Bradley Brave Jade Humphrey got the best of her old squad with 11 digs to match Halverson, just ahead of Libs with 10 and senior Ashley Clingan with nine.  
 
BU controlled the opening set pulling away for a 25-20 win, but the Gamecocks responded to pull out narrow victories in the following two sets after trailing 17-14 in the second and 16-14 in the third. Bradley denied JSU a four-set win taking the fourth, 25-20, and forcing a decisive fifth frame.
 
In the fifth, JSU opened a quick 602 advantage courtesy of kills from Kindermann and Rombach. Kaylee Frear provided a key put-away late in the set as Bradley began to mount a comeback. The Braves eventually evened the frame at 12-12, but Rombach and Kindermann produced once more each to solidify the first five-set win of the season for Jax State.
 
JSU also defeated Mississippi Valley State earlier on Friday to kickoff the weekend's action. The Gamecocks continued their undefeated streak against the Devilettes out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference improving to 6-0 in all-time meetings. JSU made quick work with set scores 25-18, 25-10, and 25-18 again for the straight sweep.
 
In a rare occurrence, Milton, who played libero during the MVSU match, led the defensively with 10 digs as well as offensively with eight kills. She split time with Humphrey and Dani Steele which allowed her to have such an offensive impact down the stretch. Kindermann collected seven kills while Clingan finished with seven digs and Rombach secured another three blocks.
 
Jax State returns to action on Saturday and will face Western Carolina in the final match of the 2018 Gamecock Classic at 2 p.m. inside the Beck Field House on the campus of Gadsden State Community College.