Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Austin Peay
Volleyball Wins At Senior Day
11/11/2006 6:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
It took all five games, but the Murray State women's volleyball team was able to battle back -- down two games to none -- to win its Senior Day match over Austin Peay 3-2. Game scores were 28-30, 25-30, 30-20, 30-13, 15-11. The match was the final home match for the Racers and the final regular-season match for MSU (19-7, 11-5 OVC).
After losing the first two games, Murray State took a 6-2 lead in Game 3, but Austin Peay (4-24, 2-14 OVC) came back to pull to within 9-8. MSU pushed ahead, scoring four straight points behind the serving of sophomore Ashley Meagher to take a 22-14 lead, and kept the Lady Govs at bay the rest of the way to win 30-20.
In Game 4, APSU scored the first point, but the Racers scored eight of the next 10 points to take an 8-3 lead. Murray State scored 12 of the last 15 points to win 30-13 and tie the match at two games apiece.
In the final game, the Racers vaulted out to a 9-3 lead before APSU rallied with three straight points behind the serving of Kirstin Distler to pull to within 9-6. The Racers held off the Lady Govs' surge, capping the match with a kill by senior Katie Kemezys.
"I thought our seniors played well in the first game," said MSU head coach David Schwepker. "They played really well, but Austin Peay came in here ready to play. From Game 3 on, we really played well. I am proud of everybody. We've got a great group of young ladies playing for us this year."
Murray State was led by Kemezys, who had a match-high 23 kills and hit .404, with four errors in 47 attacks to go with a match-high six blocks.
Senior Holly Jansen added 17 kills and hit .304, with three errors in 46 attacks. Junior Tara DeMage had 13 kills and hit .345, with three errors in 29 attacks, and sophomores Alison Mugler and Alyssa Groves had 10 kills apiece.
Sophomore Heather Norris repelled a match-high 35 digs, while freshman Cassie Chesney had 23, DeMage had 17 and Mugler had 11. Chesney also handed out a match-high 56 assists for her 20th double-double of the season.
Austin Peay was led by Dorota Szymska, who had 16 kills. Ashley Genslak and Jaimie Thill had 15 kills apiece, and Laura Wussow had 14.
Kristen Kirch had 28 digs for the Lady Govs, while Distler had 26, Leanne Kreps had 18, Szymska had 17 and Caroline Frens had 14. Kreps handed out 55 assists for APSU.
Murray State finished the season in sole possession of third place in the Ohio Valley Conference, its best finish since 1997. The Racers will play the No. 6 seed in the first round of the O'Reilly OVC Championship Tournament on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Jacksonville, Ala. The No. 6 seed will be determined later tonight.
