JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State's volleyball team capped a perfect home regular season on Monday with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-21) win over visiting UT Martin in the next-to-last weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
For now, JSU's 8-0 home record stands as only the third undefeated home slate in its Division I history. The previous two clean slates, 2009 and 2006, coincide with the Gamecocks' last two trips to the NCAA tournament.  
 
Overall, JSU moved to 14-0 behind its 10th sweep of the season on Monday, out-hitting the Skyhawks .393 to .102. UTM (5-9) had previously been the last team to beat JSU at home in the regular season back in 2019.
 
Freshman Courtney Glotzbach topped out with a team-best 10 kills on a day that saw the Gamecocks put their depth on full display once again. Junior Lena Kindermann had eight kills, including the final point of the day, while senior Kaylie Milton and freshman Sadie Brown each hit .500-or-better with five kills. Junior Katie Montgomery was efficient with four kills on 10 swings and no errors, ahead of Addie Halverson, Caroline Kasson and Lexie Libs with three put-aways each. Libs dished 31 of JSU's 34 assists from her setter position.
 
The visiting Skyhawks had no answer as the Gamecock defense was equally successful. Jax State out-blocked UTM, 10-1, largely behind a career-high six stops by Brown. Kindermann grabbed a piece of four blocks, while Libs and Montgomery assisted in three.
 
Senior Dani Steele, JSU's lone outgoing senior this season, picked up three digs as part of a back row that allowed just 29 kills for UTM through three sets. Sophomore libero Erin Carmichael led with 12 digs, aided by Kylee Quigley, Tahya Pozorski and Anna Nelson along the back line.
 
The Gamecocks ran away with the opening set in emphatic form for a 25-8 decision. Leading 17-7, Quigley registered two of her three aces during an 8-0 run to solidify the 1-0 match lead. Service success played a key role in the second as Montgomery reeled off three-straight aces to spark a 6-0 run that pushed JSU in from 12-5. The Gamecocks had UTM doubled up at 16-8, before taking the second frame, 25-14.
 
Nelson and Halverson started the third and final set, with Kasson joining shortly after. The score was even at 4-4 early, before JSU opened up a six-point advantage at 13-7. UTM rallied back following a Gamecock substitution error, winning seven of the next nine points to pull within one at 15-14. A kill from Kasson led to several attack errors by the Skyhawks and the lead was soon 20-15 on its way to another set win for the Gamecocks.
 
The Gamecocks have won 22 or their last 23 regular-season matches dating back to 2019. With 14-straight to start 2021, the Gamecocks have yet to clinch anything but a spot in the OVC tournament as Morehead State has reeled off an identical league record. The Gamecocks and Eagles will meet next weekend in the final weekend of the season to determine the regular-season championship and host for the 2021 tournament.