Gamecocks Fall to Alabama in Five-Set Battle

Thursday, September 17

Tuscaloosa, AL

6 PM

Jax State

1-9,0-0CUSA

Alabama

7-1,0-0SEC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Jacksonville St.	25	18	14	25	8	2
Alabama	18	25	25	21	15	3

9/17/2026 9:55:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, ALA. – Jax State volleyball battled SEC foe Alabama in a five-set setback Thursday night on the road. The Gamecocks fell 3-2 in the match.

Despite the loss, Jax State out blocked the Crimson Tide recording 10 blocks to Alabama's six. Azavia Thomas led the Gamecocks with six blocks, Anna Ray had five, and Taya Nordmann added four, respectively. Jax State had 52 kills, 50 assists, 46 digs, and three aces in the match.

The Gamecocks were led offensively by Sophia Schweikert who recorded one dig shy of her career-high with 17. Schweikert previously had 18 kills against Kansas City last season on Sep. 12, 2025. Lauren Buchanan put down 10 kills, while Claire Evans tallied eight.

Sofia Varela paced the Gamecocks with 23 assists. Addison Stone had 22 assists. Stone's 22 assists marks a new career-best for her with her previous coming against Bellarmine earlier this season. Varela was second on the team with eight digs as Delaney Moon had a team-best of 13. Schweikert added seven digs.

Jax State stormed out in front 18-13 in the first set of the night en route to a 25-18 win. Varela clinched the set victory with a service ace after a pair of kills from Evans and Buchanan. The Crimson Tide flipped the script in the second as they went on to take that set 25-18.

After a 7-0 run by Alabama clinched a 25-14 third set win for the hosts, Jax State was able to force a fifth set with a 25-21 win in the fourth. In the fourth, Jax State got up 17-11 before a 5-0 Alabama run cut it to 17-16 Gamecocks. The teams shared blows until a kill by Schweikert and an Alabama attacking error made it set point for Jax State. Schweikert put down a kill to win the set after an Alabama score made it 24-21.

In the final set, Jax State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. After Alabama tied it at 5-5, Schweikert made it 6-5 Gamecocks with another kill. Alabama then scored six-straight to gain an 11-6 advantage. Evans notched a kill to make it 13-8 Crimson Tide before Alabama scored two-in-a-row to win 15-8.

Jax State is back in action Friday at 12 p.m. against Southern, then wraps up the 2026 Crimson Classic against Nicholls at 7 p.m. The Gamecocks and Southern will square off for the second time this season. Jax State won the previous matchup 3-1 on Aug. 29.

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