JACKSONVILLE – Jax State lost in three sets to preseason CUSA favorite Western Kentucky at home Friday evening. The matchup between Jax State and the Hilltoppers was the conference opener for both squads.
 
The Gamecocks (7-7) lost 25-9, 25-19, and 25-15 to the Hilltoppers (8-6). The Gamecocks had 31 kills, two aces, two blocks, 31 assists, and 56 assists as a squad. The 56 assists were one more than the Hilltoppers had with 55.
 
"I'm not unhappy with them," head coach Derek Schroeder said. "We talked all week about the next step is kind of theirs. It seems like an unfair statement by a coach to say the next step is theirs, but I've asked a lot of them in six weeks. I've asked the way they serve the ball, the way they pass the ball, the way they attack the ball, everything in the gym is so drastically different than when they started on Aug. 8. They've been so great for six weeks that they've grown and grown and grown."
 
Brooklyn Schiffli was impressive defensively with 23 digs and seven digs. Ellie Garrett led the team in assists with 23 to go along with 10 digs. Caty Havekost had the most kills for the Gamecocks with eight, Sanni Rantanen had six, Kayla Williams added five, Katelyn Crofts added five, and Hana Aiana had four.
 
"We're so much better than we were seven weeks ago," Schroeder added. "Now they've gotten to a point where what I'm pushing on, the next step isn't something I can push on. The next step is them now, it's kind of cultural, it's kind of standards."
 
The Gamecocks will move on to face the Hilltoppers for a second time Saturday at 2 p.m. The match will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at JaxStateSports.com.
 
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