Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Samford
Volleyball Upset In OVC Opener By Improved Samford Squad
9/14/2007 5:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team got out of the gate slowly against Samford, and the Bulldogs' offense found their marks, as the Racers fell in their Ohio Valley Conference opener, 3-1. Game scores were 30-25, 30-28, 23-30, 30-27.
Senior middle hitter Tara DeMage led the MSU offense with 17 kills, hitting .333, with only three errors in 42 attacks. Junior outside hitter Alison Mugler and freshman middle hitter Sara Hayden had 15 kills apiece, while junior outside hitter Alyssa Groves had 12. Sophomore setter Cassie Chesney handed out a match-high 57 assists.
On defense, junior libero Heather Norris repelled a team season-high 30 digs, while Mugler had 19, Chesney had 15 and Groves and DeMage had 12 each. DeMage rejected seven blocks, while Mugler had five.
For Samford (6-4, 1-0 OVC), Angela Dempski had a match-high 19 kills and hit .357, with only four errors in 42 attacks. Sara Sears added 15 kills, while Samantha Bland had 12 and Sheridan Stangohr had 11. Hillary Fountain had 54 assists for the Bulldogs, while Sears and Sara Gardner each served up three aces.
On defense, Dempski had a match-high eight blocks, while Stangohr had seven, Fountain had six and Bland and Sears had five apiece. Courtney Gay had 27 digs, while Gardner had 15, Fountain had 12 and Bland had 11.
Murray State (3-7, 0-1 OVC) hopes to rebound against defending OVC champion Jacksonville State (4-4, 1-0 OVC), which won 3-0 at Tennessee-Martin tonight. The Racers' match against JSU is tomorrow (Saturday) at 2 p.m. at Racer Arena. Admission is free.
