HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Valdosta State volleyball team won their first match at the Alabama-Huntsville Tournament on Saturday morning, defeating Arkansas Tech in four games.

The Lady Blazers (8-6) slid by the Golden Suns the first match, 31-29, and won game two 30-24. ATU came back and won game three, 30-24. But the Lady Blazers pulled out game four, 31-29, and wrapped up the match.

Irene Hannan led the offense for the Lady Blazers with 17 kills and 23 digs, while Stephanie Kirrstetter had 14 kills and 25 digs.

Ruthie King had 14 kills and Arielle Parnell had 11 kills, with a .586 hitting percentage, and also tallied four block assists and one solo block. Libero Laura Boos had 12 digs, while Emelia Saulter had a season high 53 assists, and also had 19 digs. As a team, VSU had 12 blocks and 66 kills with a .244 hitting percentage. ATU tallied 67 kills and 16 blocks as a team.

VSU fell to Armstrong Atlantic State in five sets in their second match, 33-31, 24-30, 25-30, 30-25, 8-15.

King had double-figure kills again with 12, while Hannan led the offense with 19 kills, 22 digs and four block assists. Saulter had a double-double, with 45 assists and 13 digs, while Boos led the defense with 29 digs.

The Lady Blazers had 56 kills, seven blocks and 100 digs, while Armstrong Atlantic tallied 16 blocks, 64 kills and 97 digs.

VSU begins conference play on Tuesday, with a 6 p.m. matchup against West Georgia.