FORT VALLEY, Ga. -- The Spring Hill College volleyball team punched its ticket to the SIAC Championship match with a 3-1 victory over Tuskegee in the conference semifinals, earning the opportunity to play for a league title. The Badgers' semifinal victory was highlighted by a record-setting defensive performance from Ashlyn Whiteside, who established a new program single-match record with 42 digs.

Whiteside surpassed the previous mark of 35 digs, set by Cassidi Sterrett of Auburn-Montgomery on Oct. 31, 2017. Her 42 digs led all players in the match and set a new standard for defensive excellence in Spring Hill volleyball history.

Spring Hill opened the semifinal with a narrow 25-23 win before taking the second set 25-17 to move within one set of the championship match. Tuskegee responded with a 25-23 win in the third set, but the Badgers put the match away with a 25-22 decision in the fourth.

Claire Hayes led the offensive attack with 22 kills on 42 attempts, hitting .429 for the match. Samaya Hennessy added 13 kills, while Quinn Thurman contributed 11 kills and a team-high 14.5 points.

Cassie Creech paced the offense with 31 assists, while Lily Floyd added 17 assists. Thurman finished with nine digs, and Hennessy recorded eight.

Spring Hill finished with 66 kills and a .194 hitting percentage, compared to 41 kills and a .185 hitting percentage for Tuskegee. The Badgers also held advantages in assists (54-37) and digs (68-57).

With the semifinal victory, Spring Hill advances to the SIAC Championship match, where the Badgers will compete for the conference title tomorrow, Nov. 12, at **12 p.m. Eastern Time**. Spring Hill now has a chance to cap its postseason run with an SIAC championship.