Murray State University Athletics
Friday, October 9
Richmond, Ky.
6 p.m.
Murray State
1
at
3
Eastern Kentucky
Racers Fall In Tough 1-3 Battle at Eastern Kentucky
10/10/2009 1:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team kept the match close, but fell to Eastern Kentucky, 1-3 (18-25, 25-21, 21-25, 23-25) in a key Ohio Valley Conference match in McBrayer Arena.
The Racers (3-14, 3-4 OVC) were led defensively by sophomore Kayleah Sauer who recorded her first match with 30 digs this season. The Louisville, Ky., native also added two service aces.
“It was nice to see Kayleah get a digs number like this tonight,” said head coach David Schwepker. “Defense was a key tonight and I hope that she can continue to produce these types of numbers for us in the future.”
Sophomores Mary Cunningham were key offensive threats for MSU in the match. Cunningham tallied a team-high .385 hitting percentage (5k-0e-13ta), while Su netted a season-best 15 kills and a .353 (15k-3e-34ta) mark. Junior Ashley Nenninger was the team's kill leader, with 16.
In a much different outcome than when the teams battled in Racer Arena, the Colonels (3-13, 3-4 OVC) opened up the set with an early 6-1 advantage and never let the Racers get closer than three points (7-4) the rest of the set. EKU led by as many as 10 points (19-9) before MSU started a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to four (20-16). EKU added more cushion to its lead with a 2-0 run and went on to win 25-18.
The Colonels held the momentum at the start of the second set, taking an early 3-0 lead, but the Racers countered with a 6-0 run of their own to take their first lead of the match, 6-3. EKU tied the set at six and the teams then traded the next 14 points before either team was able to unknot the score. After eight tie scores MSU was the first to gain a lead larger than one point, with a 4-0 run that gave them a 17-14 advantage. EKU did not give up fighting and started a 6-3 run to cut the deficit to one (20-19). But that was as close as the Racers let the Colonels get, as they finished the set with a 5-2 run to tie the match at one-set apiece heading into the 10-minute intermission.
Like the first two sets MSU found themselves down 0-3 early in the set and like set two the Racers tied it at three, but it was EKU that took the lead after the tie in set three. The Colonels pushed ahead with a 9-1 run (12-4). The teams then traded 4-1 and 4-0 runs, which included several long rallies and put EKU up 17-8 on the scoreboard. MSU then took some control back and went on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to four points (19-15). The teams traded the next four points before the Racers cut the Colonels lead to two, with a 3-1 run (22-20), but EKU held on for the 25-21 win.
In the fourth set, the Racers earned the first point of the set for the first time in the match, but saw the Colonels again jump out to take an early 4-1 advantage. EKU kept the advantage around four or five points until MSU pulled within one point (11-10) with a 4-0 run. The Colonels then pushed the momentum of the match again and regained their five-point advantage with a 5-1 run (16-11). MSU again got the deficit down to one point (16-15), with a 4-0 run and the teams then started a back-and-forth battle for the serve. EKU would earn a three-point advantage and the Racers would cut the lead to one, but they could not pull even and fell 25-23.
The match was mainly about defense, as the Colonels earned advantages in the blocking and digs columns. EKU had eight team blocks to the Racers seven and had seven more digs (67-60).
The Racers travel to Morehead, Ky., to face the Eagles of Morehead State, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. (CST) in Wetherby Gym. MSU then returns home for a four-match home stand that begins with Austin Peay, Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
Notes: Junior Sara Hayden moved one step closer to making the All-Time Block Solo List at MSU and is now just four away from the No. 10 position with 42 career block solos…the Racers combined for three block solos in the match, marking just the fifth time this season that the team has had 3-or-more in a single match.
The Racers (3-14, 3-4 OVC) were led defensively by sophomore Kayleah Sauer who recorded her first match with 30 digs this season. The Louisville, Ky., native also added two service aces.
“It was nice to see Kayleah get a digs number like this tonight,” said head coach David Schwepker. “Defense was a key tonight and I hope that she can continue to produce these types of numbers for us in the future.”
Sophomores Mary Cunningham were key offensive threats for MSU in the match. Cunningham tallied a team-high .385 hitting percentage (5k-0e-13ta), while Su netted a season-best 15 kills and a .353 (15k-3e-34ta) mark. Junior Ashley Nenninger was the team's kill leader, with 16.
In a much different outcome than when the teams battled in Racer Arena, the Colonels (3-13, 3-4 OVC) opened up the set with an early 6-1 advantage and never let the Racers get closer than three points (7-4) the rest of the set. EKU led by as many as 10 points (19-9) before MSU started a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to four (20-16). EKU added more cushion to its lead with a 2-0 run and went on to win 25-18.
The Colonels held the momentum at the start of the second set, taking an early 3-0 lead, but the Racers countered with a 6-0 run of their own to take their first lead of the match, 6-3. EKU tied the set at six and the teams then traded the next 14 points before either team was able to unknot the score. After eight tie scores MSU was the first to gain a lead larger than one point, with a 4-0 run that gave them a 17-14 advantage. EKU did not give up fighting and started a 6-3 run to cut the deficit to one (20-19). But that was as close as the Racers let the Colonels get, as they finished the set with a 5-2 run to tie the match at one-set apiece heading into the 10-minute intermission.
Like the first two sets MSU found themselves down 0-3 early in the set and like set two the Racers tied it at three, but it was EKU that took the lead after the tie in set three. The Colonels pushed ahead with a 9-1 run (12-4). The teams then traded 4-1 and 4-0 runs, which included several long rallies and put EKU up 17-8 on the scoreboard. MSU then took some control back and went on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to four points (19-15). The teams traded the next four points before the Racers cut the Colonels lead to two, with a 3-1 run (22-20), but EKU held on for the 25-21 win.
In the fourth set, the Racers earned the first point of the set for the first time in the match, but saw the Colonels again jump out to take an early 4-1 advantage. EKU kept the advantage around four or five points until MSU pulled within one point (11-10) with a 4-0 run. The Colonels then pushed the momentum of the match again and regained their five-point advantage with a 5-1 run (16-11). MSU again got the deficit down to one point (16-15), with a 4-0 run and the teams then started a back-and-forth battle for the serve. EKU would earn a three-point advantage and the Racers would cut the lead to one, but they could not pull even and fell 25-23.
The match was mainly about defense, as the Colonels earned advantages in the blocking and digs columns. EKU had eight team blocks to the Racers seven and had seven more digs (67-60).
The Racers travel to Morehead, Ky., to face the Eagles of Morehead State, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. (CST) in Wetherby Gym. MSU then returns home for a four-match home stand that begins with Austin Peay, Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
Notes: Junior Sara Hayden moved one step closer to making the All-Time Block Solo List at MSU and is now just four away from the No. 10 position with 42 career block solos…the Racers combined for three block solos in the match, marking just the fifth time this season that the team has had 3-or-more in a single match.
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