Murray State University Athletics
Racers Conclude Road Trip at Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State
10/7/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Matches
The Murray State volleyball team will conclude a four-match road trip this weekend when they travel to Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State. The Racers (6-10, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) will face Tennessee Tech, Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. and then continue on to battle with Jacksonville State, Saturday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
About Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles are 8-9 overall, but are 5-2 in the OVC after defeating Eastern Kentucky and losing to league leading Morehead State last weekend.
Amanda Lindgren and Leah Meffert are the offensive leaders for TTU. Lindgren has a team-high 170 kills, while Meffert is close behind with 156. The duo also accounts for 44 percent of the team's total attack attempts. Lindgren has also contributed 13 service aces and 105 digs.
The Golden Eagles leading blocker is Caitlin Bullock with 42 (14-28), while Katie Kenline is the other defensive leader with 305 digs.
TTU and its opponents are even in most statistical categories, but the Golden Eagles trail in two key areas. TTU is being out-blocked and out-hit by its opponents. The Golden Eagles are averaging just 1.5 blocks per set, while their opponents are garnering 2.3. This helps to account for the difference in hitting percentage, as TTU is being out-hit .190 to .230.
Against the Golden Eagles
Senior Alison Mugler is the top returning performer for MSU from last season's team against TTU. Mugler recorded 21 kills, a .308 hitting percentage and 35 digs. Sophomores Becca Lamb and Sara Hayden were also strong for the Racers with 16 and 15 kills, respectively.
Amanda Lindgren and Leah Meffert are the top returners for the Golden Eagles. The duo combined for 63 kills and 53 digs a season ago.
The Series
MSU is currently leading in the all-time series with TTU by seven matches, 27-20. The Racers also hold a 13-9 advantage when playing in Cookeville, Tenn.
About Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks are 6-12 overall and 2-5 in the OVC after dropping matches to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky over the weekend.
MSU will need to focus on Brittney Whitten and Caitlin Vorbeck during the match Saturday. Whitten and Vorbeck are set 55 percent of the time for JSU. Whitten has tallied a team-high 242 kills, while Vorbeck has added 229. The two are also strong across the board for the Gamecocks. Whitten has added 12 service aces, 257 digs, and 16 blocks, while Vorbeck has garnered 15 service aces, 116 digs, and 20 blocks.
Lauren Harkins is the defensive leader for JSU, with 312 digs. She has also tallied a team-high 19 service aces.
The Gamecocks are utilizing two setters in their rotation, with Brooke Schumacher earning most of the playing time and garnering 551 assists. Allie Schleisman has contributed 136 assists while on the court for JSU.
Serving is a key area for the Gamecocks, as they are tallying 1.3 services aces per set to their opponents 0.9. However JSU is trailing in the blocks column 2.0 to 1.5 blocks per set.
Against the Gamecocks
Senior Alison Mugler and sophomores Becca Lamb and Sara Hayden are the top returners for the Racers against JSU from a year ago. The trio combined for 60 kills. Lamb garnered a team-high .240 hitting percentage and added three blocks, while Mugler tallied 39 digs and four blocks.
Brittney Whitten was the top producer for the Gamecocks, with 22 kills and 30 digs. Brooke Schumacher added 112 assists, 25 digs and four blocks for JSU.
As a team the Gamecocks were strong at the service line recording 18 service aces to the Racers 10.
The Series
This will be only the eighth meeting in the all-time series between MSU and JSU. The Gamecocks own a 5-2 advantage, including wins in the last five contests.
Counting on Lamb
The Racers have been waiting for another player to stand out for them on the court this season and recently Becca Lamb has filled that role. The Highland, Ill., native has tallied double-digits in the kills column for the last three matches and was just one or two away in the two previous to the streak.
The sophomore has also increased her hitting percentage from .171 to .210 in the last three outings.
Five-Set Extravaganzas
MSU has forced five five-set matches so far this season, which is half way to the school record for the most five-set matches in a single season. The Racers competed in 10 deciding-set matches in 1994 and 1996.
This year MSU has forced two of its five-set matches into the deciding set after being down 2-0. That feat has happened a total of 11 times in school history, with the most in a single season being two (1985, 1987, 2008).
Applauding Alison
In Friday's match at Austin Peay, senior Alison Mugler became the eighth member of MSU's 1,000 Kill Club and just the sixth Racer to earn membership in both the 1,000 Kill and 1,000 Dig Clubs.
The Maumee, Ohio, native tallied her 1,000th kill during the fourth set to break a 4-4 tie and put MSU ahead for good in the set.
The outside hitter was the first MSU player since Krista Shumard to record 1,000 kills. Shumard earned her membership in both clubs during the 1999 campaign.
Mugler is now eighth on the all-time kills list with 1,012 and needs just 12 to pass Shumard in the No. 7 position (1,023).
Climbing Career Charts
Two members of the 2008 Racer roster have positioned themselves on the Murray State all-time leader boards and are poised to move up on those lists this season.
Besides Alison Mugler, fellow senior Heather Norris finished the 2007 campaign in the No. 2 spot on the all-time digs list. The Naperville, Ill., native now needs just 18 to claim the No. 1 spot from Kim Koehler (1,994). Koehler has owned the record since 1990, prior to the institution of the libero position in 2004.
Norris' eight digs against the Salukis moved her up one position on the OVC Dig Charts to No. 5. Heading into the match with Southern Illinois, the libero needed just two digs to claim the spot from Jessica Sabath (EKU-1,933). MSU's Kim Koehler is currently in the No. 4 position in the OVC standings.
Mugler Moving Up the Lists
Senior Alison Mugler jumped up one more spot on the Racer's All-Time Dig List after a 21 dig performance against Southern Illinois. The Maumee, Ohio, native needed just 20 digs to claim the No. 5 spot from Jill McCoy (1,464) before the match. Mugler will now be aiming for Jill Doty's No. 4 position (1,599) and will need 99 to claim the spot.
Serving Up Success
Heather Norris is also approaching another milestone at MSU, her 100th service ace. The libero has recorded 86 aces so far in her career, including 10 so far in 2008. If the senior hits 14 more on the year she will become just the sixth Racer player to tally 1,000 digs and 100 service aces.
Fellow senior Alison Mugler also has a chance to make the list, as she has 67 aces so far in her career. If she were to hit the mark she would be just the fourth MSU player to record 1,000 kills, 1,000 digs, and 100 service aces.
Quick Sets
There is only one season on record in which the Racers did not have a five-set match, 1984...MSU recorded a season-high .272 hitting percentage against Tennessee State...freshman Kayleah Sauer tallied a career-high 32 digs against Austin Peay...rookie Logan Su tallied career bests with 19 kills and five blocks against the Lady Govs...as a team the Racers set season bests in kills (67), attacks (217), digs (110), and assists (64) at Austin Peay.
The Murray State volleyball team will conclude a four-match road trip this weekend when they travel to Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State. The Racers (6-10, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) will face Tennessee Tech, Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. and then continue on to battle with Jacksonville State, Saturday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
About Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles are 8-9 overall, but are 5-2 in the OVC after defeating Eastern Kentucky and losing to league leading Morehead State last weekend.
Amanda Lindgren and Leah Meffert are the offensive leaders for TTU. Lindgren has a team-high 170 kills, while Meffert is close behind with 156. The duo also accounts for 44 percent of the team's total attack attempts. Lindgren has also contributed 13 service aces and 105 digs.
The Golden Eagles leading blocker is Caitlin Bullock with 42 (14-28), while Katie Kenline is the other defensive leader with 305 digs.
TTU and its opponents are even in most statistical categories, but the Golden Eagles trail in two key areas. TTU is being out-blocked and out-hit by its opponents. The Golden Eagles are averaging just 1.5 blocks per set, while their opponents are garnering 2.3. This helps to account for the difference in hitting percentage, as TTU is being out-hit .190 to .230.
Against the Golden Eagles
Senior Alison Mugler is the top returning performer for MSU from last season's team against TTU. Mugler recorded 21 kills, a .308 hitting percentage and 35 digs. Sophomores Becca Lamb and Sara Hayden were also strong for the Racers with 16 and 15 kills, respectively.
Amanda Lindgren and Leah Meffert are the top returners for the Golden Eagles. The duo combined for 63 kills and 53 digs a season ago.
The Series
MSU is currently leading in the all-time series with TTU by seven matches, 27-20. The Racers also hold a 13-9 advantage when playing in Cookeville, Tenn.
About Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks are 6-12 overall and 2-5 in the OVC after dropping matches to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky over the weekend.
MSU will need to focus on Brittney Whitten and Caitlin Vorbeck during the match Saturday. Whitten and Vorbeck are set 55 percent of the time for JSU. Whitten has tallied a team-high 242 kills, while Vorbeck has added 229. The two are also strong across the board for the Gamecocks. Whitten has added 12 service aces, 257 digs, and 16 blocks, while Vorbeck has garnered 15 service aces, 116 digs, and 20 blocks.
Lauren Harkins is the defensive leader for JSU, with 312 digs. She has also tallied a team-high 19 service aces.
The Gamecocks are utilizing two setters in their rotation, with Brooke Schumacher earning most of the playing time and garnering 551 assists. Allie Schleisman has contributed 136 assists while on the court for JSU.
Serving is a key area for the Gamecocks, as they are tallying 1.3 services aces per set to their opponents 0.9. However JSU is trailing in the blocks column 2.0 to 1.5 blocks per set.
Against the Gamecocks
Senior Alison Mugler and sophomores Becca Lamb and Sara Hayden are the top returners for the Racers against JSU from a year ago. The trio combined for 60 kills. Lamb garnered a team-high .240 hitting percentage and added three blocks, while Mugler tallied 39 digs and four blocks.
Brittney Whitten was the top producer for the Gamecocks, with 22 kills and 30 digs. Brooke Schumacher added 112 assists, 25 digs and four blocks for JSU.
As a team the Gamecocks were strong at the service line recording 18 service aces to the Racers 10.
The Series
This will be only the eighth meeting in the all-time series between MSU and JSU. The Gamecocks own a 5-2 advantage, including wins in the last five contests.
Counting on Lamb
The Racers have been waiting for another player to stand out for them on the court this season and recently Becca Lamb has filled that role. The Highland, Ill., native has tallied double-digits in the kills column for the last three matches and was just one or two away in the two previous to the streak.
The sophomore has also increased her hitting percentage from .171 to .210 in the last three outings.
Five-Set Extravaganzas
MSU has forced five five-set matches so far this season, which is half way to the school record for the most five-set matches in a single season. The Racers competed in 10 deciding-set matches in 1994 and 1996.
This year MSU has forced two of its five-set matches into the deciding set after being down 2-0. That feat has happened a total of 11 times in school history, with the most in a single season being two (1985, 1987, 2008).
Applauding Alison
In Friday's match at Austin Peay, senior Alison Mugler became the eighth member of MSU's 1,000 Kill Club and just the sixth Racer to earn membership in both the 1,000 Kill and 1,000 Dig Clubs.
The Maumee, Ohio, native tallied her 1,000th kill during the fourth set to break a 4-4 tie and put MSU ahead for good in the set.
The outside hitter was the first MSU player since Krista Shumard to record 1,000 kills. Shumard earned her membership in both clubs during the 1999 campaign.
Mugler is now eighth on the all-time kills list with 1,012 and needs just 12 to pass Shumard in the No. 7 position (1,023).
Climbing Career Charts
Two members of the 2008 Racer roster have positioned themselves on the Murray State all-time leader boards and are poised to move up on those lists this season.
Besides Alison Mugler, fellow senior Heather Norris finished the 2007 campaign in the No. 2 spot on the all-time digs list. The Naperville, Ill., native now needs just 18 to claim the No. 1 spot from Kim Koehler (1,994). Koehler has owned the record since 1990, prior to the institution of the libero position in 2004.
Norris' eight digs against the Salukis moved her up one position on the OVC Dig Charts to No. 5. Heading into the match with Southern Illinois, the libero needed just two digs to claim the spot from Jessica Sabath (EKU-1,933). MSU's Kim Koehler is currently in the No. 4 position in the OVC standings.
Mugler Moving Up the Lists
Senior Alison Mugler jumped up one more spot on the Racer's All-Time Dig List after a 21 dig performance against Southern Illinois. The Maumee, Ohio, native needed just 20 digs to claim the No. 5 spot from Jill McCoy (1,464) before the match. Mugler will now be aiming for Jill Doty's No. 4 position (1,599) and will need 99 to claim the spot.
Serving Up Success
Heather Norris is also approaching another milestone at MSU, her 100th service ace. The libero has recorded 86 aces so far in her career, including 10 so far in 2008. If the senior hits 14 more on the year she will become just the sixth Racer player to tally 1,000 digs and 100 service aces.
Fellow senior Alison Mugler also has a chance to make the list, as she has 67 aces so far in her career. If she were to hit the mark she would be just the fourth MSU player to record 1,000 kills, 1,000 digs, and 100 service aces.
Quick Sets
There is only one season on record in which the Racers did not have a five-set match, 1984...MSU recorded a season-high .272 hitting percentage against Tennessee State...freshman Kayleah Sauer tallied a career-high 32 digs against Austin Peay...rookie Logan Su tallied career bests with 19 kills and five blocks against the Lady Govs...as a team the Racers set season bests in kills (67), attacks (217), digs (110), and assists (64) at Austin Peay.
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