Volleyball Opens Season With 3-1 Win Over Idaho State

Friday, September 1

Jacksonville, Fla.

3:00 p.m.

Murray State

Idaho State

9/1/2006 5:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

The Murray State women's volleyball team won its season-opener for the first time since 2000, taking a 3-1 decision from Idaho State and giving head coach David Schwepker his 100th win as a Racer coach. Game scores were 30-21, 31-29, 25-30, 30-25.

The Racers (1-0) played a complete match throughout, hitting .235 and making only 14 attack errors. MSU trailed 25-18 in Game 2, but outscored the Bengals (3-3) 13-4 to claim the game.

"It was all about teamwork," said Schwepker. "Our team did a really good job of the direction we're working on in practice. What we've changed (in play today) since last year is our hitting percentage. We dug a lot of balls, and we knew we would, because we had a great defense returning from last year (second in the nation in digs per game). Any time last year we hit .235 with that number of digs, we would win, too, but we just never did achieve that hitting percentage.

"I think we have some pretty focused athletes, and in practice, we try to get them in game-like situations. I'm thinking that the comeback in Game 2 shows that this group is not going to stop. They're going to keep pushing and pushing. For me as a coach, that's what you want, and if we've got that kind of thing going on, you're going to be OK."

Sophomore outside hitter Alison Mugler had a team-high 16 kills, leading five Racers in double-figures in that category. Sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Groves had 13 kills, senior middle blocker Katie Kemezys added 12, and senior middle blocker Holly Jansen and junior outside hitter Tara DeMage each had 11.

Sophomore libero Heather Norris repelled a match-high 33 digs, while Mugler had 27 and DeMage had 20. Kemezys had a match-high four blocks, while Jansen had three. Freshman setter Cassie Chesney handed out a match-high 57 assists, while Mugler and Groves had a co-match-high two aces apiece.

Idaho State was paced by Jessica Gurney, who had a match-high 17 kills. Emily Waldron added 15 kills, while Zoe Beltz had 13 and Bri Beal added 12. Beal had 30 digs for the Bengals, while Christine Collette added 23 and Cory Farnsworth had 20, while Collette and Beal had two aces each. Collette had 53 assists for ISU.