Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Eastern Kentucky
Racers win 13th straight, but halt shutout streak vs. Eastern Kentucky
10/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State women's volleyball team had its shutout streak halted at eight matches, but extended its school-record win streak to 13 matches with a 3-1 win over Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Kentucky, 24-30, 30-27, 30-24, 30-18.
The Game 1 loss was the first OVC regular-season game loss for the Racers (13-4, 7-0 OVC) since Nov. 15, 2002, and was the first game loss this season in after winning 25 straight games. MSU has won 35 of its last 37 games.
The match was the first of two challenges to the top spot in the OVC for current leader Murray State this weekend, as the Colonels (14-7, 5-2 OVC) came in with just one league loss, a 3-0 loss to the Racers in Richmond earlier this season. Tomorrow, Morehead State comes calling with a 6-1 OVC mark after winning at Tennessee-Martin tonight 3-0.
Against Eastern Kentucky, sophomore setter Nikki Wong claimed her first triple-double of the season, garnering 10 kills, 52 assists and 13 digs. Last season, Wong had the first-ever triple-doubles for the Racers, tallying four in 2002.
The Racer offense was led by junior outside hitter Kimberly Bunnage, who had 22 kills and only two errors in 54 attacks for a .392 attack percentage. Bunnage also had a match-high 25 digs and had three blocks.
Sophomore outside hitter Paige Sun had 15 kills and 16 digs, notching her 15th double-double of the season in 17 matches. Freshman outside hitter Lilli Zhan had 19 kills and 24 digs, while junior defensive specialist Casandra Ersel had 19 digs.
Freshman middle blocker Katie Kemezys had a match-high five blocks, while junior middle blocker Danielle Sutterer and Bunnage had three apiece. Sun servd up a match-high three aces for MSU.
Eastern Kentucky was paced by 16 kills from Liz Guard. Jessica Sabath added 14 kills, while Lesley Aldridge had 10. Sabath had a team-high 24 digs, while Aldridge had 23, Kristi Kuzma had 19 and Joyce Moeller and Kelly Jennings each had 10.
Guard had a team-high four blocks, while Kasha Brozek had three. Jennings handed out a team-high 46 assists.
"Eastern Kentucky was just phenomenal in that first game," said MSU head coach David Schwepker. "We hit the ball like we normally dod, just pounding it, pounding it, and they kept digging everything we hit. Then, (EKU) would run an offense, and it worked, and they did it again and again.
"In the second game, we told our hitters to start hitting crosscourt. That started working, but everything we hit straight, (the Colonels) dug, but their block kept missing on the crosscourt hits.
"In the third and fourth games, we kept doing well," Schwepker said, "and that's when we got to the point where I felt like we were in control of the game. Our team adjusted well to how Eastern played, and I tell you, Eastern played very well."
Murray State faces its second challenge for the top spot in as many days, as Morehead State (13-7, 6-1 OVC) comes to Racer Arena for a Saturday noon match-up.
