SMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (SMU) – Sophomore Jadyn Livings put down 22 kills as No. 10 SMU won its third straight conference match in a four-set victory (24-26, 25-23, 25-15, 25-20) over Florida State (8-6, 2-3 ACC) Friday night in Tallahassee.
 
The Mustangs are now 4-0 all-time against the Seminoles and 3-0 under Head Coach Sam Erger. With the win, SMU improved to 11-4 overall and 3-2 in ACC play.
 
Along with her 22 kills, Livings earned her fourth double-double of the season by adding 10 digs against Florida State. Livings also hit a team-best .475 in the match. Malaya Jones joined Livings in double-figures with a 17-kill performance, hitting .455 with six digs and five blocks. Favor Anyanwu logged 10 kills and three blocks while hitting .471 against the Seminoles.
 
Averi Carlson sent out 52 assists and 11 digs in the win. Four Mustangs ended with 10 or more digs for just the second time this season, led by Jordyn Schilling, who finished with 15. As a unit, SMU hit .329 with eight blocks while also siding out at a 75.0 rate.  

MATCH NOTES: 

• With 17 kills against the Seminoles, Jones now needs eight more kills to reach the 1,500-kill mark for her career. She notched her 11th double-digit kill outing of the season.
• Livings notched her fourth double-double of the season, third in ACC play and eighth of her career.
• Under Head Coach Sam Erger, SMU in the months of October and November are 45-9 (.833).
• Anyanwu reached the double-digit kill mark for the third time this season and the fourth time in her career.
• Carlson dished out 52 assists, her fifth time this season above the 50-assist threshold. It was also her sixth double-double of the season.
• Schilling's 15 digs marked the 10th time this season she exceeded 10 digs.
• SMU hit .329, the sixth time this season SMU hit over .300. The Mustangs are 6-0 in those matches.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | It was a quick start for the Mustangs as they rushed off to an early 5-1 advantage, applying early pressure on the Seminoles. FSU regrouped for four of the next five to keep within striking distance of SMU midway through the opening set. The Seminoles later took their first lead of the match at 16-15, but SMU responded with three straight to take back the lead. FSU finished strong late with six of the next seven to go up 22-19. Florida State got to set point at 24-21, but SMU followed by three straight to level the score at 24-all. Unfortunately, FSU got the final two points it needed to take the frame 26-24. It was the first set the Mustangs dropped to FSU in the three prior matches of the series.
 
SET TWO | The clubs traded points until a three-point spurt by the Seminoles put them up 15-12 entering the second set media timeout. Back and forth the squads went again out of the timeout as they traded sets of twos until SMU put together three straight to go up 19-17. FSU fought back to tie it at 23-23, but Chris Wilburn put down a kill and closed the set with an ace to win the frame 25-23 to even the set score at 1-1.

SET THREE | SMU got off to a strong start out of the intermission, working for a 5-1 lead thanks to four straight, ending on a kill from Anyanwu. The Mustangs maintained their early lead and, beginning at the 15-12 mark, expanded on it with four straight with a run that included kills from Livings and Jones as well as an ace from Carlson. The stretch put SMU up 19-12, and the Mustangs never looked back, cruising to a dominant 25-15 set three decision. SMU hit .517 in the third with 16 kills and just one error.  

SET FOUR | SMU kept its foot on the gas, building off a commanding third set. SMU used a 7-0 run, the longest stretch of the match, to take complete control (14-5 lead) of the fourth set. FSU got some momentum going its way to cut its deficit to as little as four (20-16), but SMU held off the late rally by the Seminoles to claim a 25-20 set four win to close out the match. Livings logged seven kills in the final set to finish with 22 kills on the night. 
 
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Jadyn Livings (22)
SMU Assist Leader: Averi Carlson (52)
SMU Digs Leader: Jordyn Schilling (15)
SMU Blocks Leader: Natalia Newsome/Malaya Jones (5)
SMU Ace Leader: Four with (1)
SMU Points Leader: Jadyn Livings (22.5)
 
Up Next: SMU will stay on the road for a top-20 match against the No. 18 Miami Hurricanes (15-1, 5-0 ACC) on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CT. The match will air on the ACC Network from Coral Gables, Florida.