Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Belmont
Racers Extend Winning Streak to Three Matches with 3-1 Win Over Belmont
9/5/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Racers had a well balanced attack, with only one player recording double-digit kills. Sophomore Ashley Nenninger led the team with 12 kills, while Logan Su added nine and Jade Guo netted eight. Guo also added 30 assists and nine digs.
“The good thing about tonight is that we moved the ball well,” said head coach David Schwepker. “I think it is important to utilize a lot of players, because when you start to rely on just one player it is easier for your opponent to shut that one player down.”
Defensively Alison Mugler led the team with 20 digs, while freshman Kayleah Sauer and senior Heather Norris added 12.
The teams were evenly matched to start the first set, with no team leading by more than two points until the Bruins used a 3-0 run to take a 15-12 advantage. The set had been tied at nine before
The Racers then rebounded and opened set two with a 4-2 run and never allowed Belmont to take more than a one-point lead throughout the set. The Bruins tied the set at nine and the two teams battled back and fourth for the lead until MSU pushed ahead for good with a 5-2 run to go up 21-17.
Set three saw the Bruins open with a service ace followed by a service error, but they took an early 3-1 advantage. The Racers then fought back from a 2-5 deficit with a 10-2 run to take a 12-7 advantage and kept the lead until
The Racers kept the momentum heading into the fourth set and went out to an early 7-2 advantage with a balanced attack. MSU kept at least a three-point lead throughout the set. The Racers then increased their advantage to as many as 11 (20-9).
After hitting .000 in the first set, MSU rallied to end the match with a .237 (45k-14e-131ta) hitting percentage, that was bolstered by a .429 (13k-1e-28ta) mark in the final set. While the Bruins recorded more kills (54-45),
Another key to victory was the difference in serving. The Bruins tallied three-times as many service aces (9-3) then the Racers, but recorded 20 service errors to MSU's nine.
The Racers will next face Furman, Saturday, Sep. 6 at 1 p.m. before battling IPFW at 4 p.m. during the second day of competition of the Belmont Tournament.
Notes: MSU extended its all-time record against the Bruins to 3-0...the win gave head coach David Schwepker his 150th career victory...Schwepker is now 150-214 in 13+seasons...senior Heather Norris is now just 167 digs away from claiming the No. 1 position on the Racer's career charts...fellow senior Alison Mugler has now tallied 1,311 career digs and is now just 60 kills away from joining the 1,000 Kill Club.
Quotes
“We started off really slow again, but at least we were able to get stronger as each set went on. I would not like to see us start so slow so that is what we have to work on as a team.”
“
