Murray State University Athletics
Friday, October 16
Racer Arena
7 p.m.
Murray State
3
vs
1
Austin Peay
Racers Snap Losing Streak With A 3-1 Win Over Austin Peay
10/17/2009 3:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-16, 27-25) victory over Austin Peay in Racer Arena. The win was the seventh-straight for the Racers (4-15, 4-5 Ohio Valley Conference) over the Lady Govs (13-6, 7-2 OVC), a streak that started Sep. 25, 2006.
“We really needed this win tonight,” said head coach David Schwepker. “I really think that it helped provide the team with the confidence that they needed.”
MSU was led by a trio of hitters who tallied at least 11 kills. Sophomore Becca Lamb paced the Racers with 15 kills, while junior Ashley Nenninger added 11. Lamb led the team in hitting percentage, with a .355 (15k-4e-31ta) mark. The Highland, Ill., native also recorded three blocks and garnered her first career service ace.
Sophomore Kayleah Sauer led the team defensively by recording 29 digs. Senior Cassie Chesney returned to the court after sitting out the past 12 matches due to injury and tallied a season-best 12 digs.
The opening set was close through the first 14 points before APSU started a 9-1 run that put them in control for the rest of the set. The Racers struggled to regain momentum through the rest of the set and tallied just seven more points as the Lady Govs claimed the 25-15 win.
MSU wasted no time getting ahead in the second set, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. The Lady Govs tied the set at three and kept the score close, with two more ties before the Racers took control for most of the set. With the scoreboard knotted at eight, MSU started a 4-1 run to gain their first lead of the match larger than two points. The Racers kept their lead around two or three points before the Lady Govs used a 4-0 run to tie the score at 16. That is when the momentum returned to MSU's side of the court when sophomore Mary Cunningham sparked a 5-0 run to give the Racers the lead for good. After Cunningham's kill, freshman Lydia Orf tallied a service ace and used strong serving to help force APSU into three straight errors. MSU kept control of the set despite a 5-4 run by the Lady Govs and held on for the 25-21 win.
The third set started as a back-and-forth battle for control, but the Racers gained the first lead with a 3-0 run to take a 7-4 advantage. APSU tied the set at seven, but the Lady Govs were never able to push the lead onto their side of the scoreboard. After the 7-7 tie MSU started a 7-1 run to take the final lead of the set (14-8). APSU followed with a 4-0 run to cut the lead to four, but the Racers pushed ahead and allowed the Lady Govs to score just four more points the rest of the set in the 25-16 MSU win.
The teams traded the first few serves of the final set before APSU went ahead 9-4, with a 6-1 run. Then Cunningham connected on a kill to end the run and send Orf to the service line for the Racers. The St. Charles, Mo., native then recorded two-straight service aces that helped MSU to tie the set at nine. The two teams then returned to a tight battle for control with ties at 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 before MSU went on a 3-0 run to take the lead. The Racers held on to the lead until the end of the set when the Lady Govs forced a tie at 23 and forced extra points with a 3-0 run to leave the scoreboard reading 24-24. MSU claimed the victory with a kill by Cunningham and a block from Nenninger and Cunningham (27-25).
After struggling with blocking at Morehead State, the Racers combined for seven total team blocks, including a season-best three (2-1) from Nenninger. MSU also earned advantages in all the statistical categories, included a 54-46 mark in kills and a 9-7 advantage in service aces.
“We always spend some time in practice on getting aggressive serves in, but tonight they just felt a little more comfortable and that showed in the number of service aces that we got tonight,” Schwepker said.
The Racers will look to continue on the winning path when they host Tennessee State at 2 p.m. in Racer Arena. After Saturday's match up MSU will have five days off before hosting Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State the following weekend, as part of the Swinging To Eliminate Cancer fundraiser to support the Gesler Family of Murray.
Quotes:
Head Coach David Schwepker
“We finally had our starting lineup in that we had the opening weekend of the season. After the first set they were able to settle down and trust each other, which allowed them to play well.”
“In the first set we didn't pass well. The nice thing about our passers is that if you get on them and tell them the need to improve they respond. After the first set we did a much better job passing and that really made a difference.”
“Coach Ping worked a lot with the team on blocking skills this week in practice and I think it really showed tonight.”
“We really needed this win tonight,” said head coach David Schwepker. “I really think that it helped provide the team with the confidence that they needed.”
MSU was led by a trio of hitters who tallied at least 11 kills. Sophomore Becca Lamb paced the Racers with 15 kills, while junior Ashley Nenninger added 11. Lamb led the team in hitting percentage, with a .355 (15k-4e-31ta) mark. The Highland, Ill., native also recorded three blocks and garnered her first career service ace.
Sophomore Kayleah Sauer led the team defensively by recording 29 digs. Senior Cassie Chesney returned to the court after sitting out the past 12 matches due to injury and tallied a season-best 12 digs.
The opening set was close through the first 14 points before APSU started a 9-1 run that put them in control for the rest of the set. The Racers struggled to regain momentum through the rest of the set and tallied just seven more points as the Lady Govs claimed the 25-15 win.
MSU wasted no time getting ahead in the second set, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. The Lady Govs tied the set at three and kept the score close, with two more ties before the Racers took control for most of the set. With the scoreboard knotted at eight, MSU started a 4-1 run to gain their first lead of the match larger than two points. The Racers kept their lead around two or three points before the Lady Govs used a 4-0 run to tie the score at 16. That is when the momentum returned to MSU's side of the court when sophomore Mary Cunningham sparked a 5-0 run to give the Racers the lead for good. After Cunningham's kill, freshman Lydia Orf tallied a service ace and used strong serving to help force APSU into three straight errors. MSU kept control of the set despite a 5-4 run by the Lady Govs and held on for the 25-21 win.
The third set started as a back-and-forth battle for control, but the Racers gained the first lead with a 3-0 run to take a 7-4 advantage. APSU tied the set at seven, but the Lady Govs were never able to push the lead onto their side of the scoreboard. After the 7-7 tie MSU started a 7-1 run to take the final lead of the set (14-8). APSU followed with a 4-0 run to cut the lead to four, but the Racers pushed ahead and allowed the Lady Govs to score just four more points the rest of the set in the 25-16 MSU win.
The teams traded the first few serves of the final set before APSU went ahead 9-4, with a 6-1 run. Then Cunningham connected on a kill to end the run and send Orf to the service line for the Racers. The St. Charles, Mo., native then recorded two-straight service aces that helped MSU to tie the set at nine. The two teams then returned to a tight battle for control with ties at 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 before MSU went on a 3-0 run to take the lead. The Racers held on to the lead until the end of the set when the Lady Govs forced a tie at 23 and forced extra points with a 3-0 run to leave the scoreboard reading 24-24. MSU claimed the victory with a kill by Cunningham and a block from Nenninger and Cunningham (27-25).
After struggling with blocking at Morehead State, the Racers combined for seven total team blocks, including a season-best three (2-1) from Nenninger. MSU also earned advantages in all the statistical categories, included a 54-46 mark in kills and a 9-7 advantage in service aces.
“We always spend some time in practice on getting aggressive serves in, but tonight they just felt a little more comfortable and that showed in the number of service aces that we got tonight,” Schwepker said.
The Racers will look to continue on the winning path when they host Tennessee State at 2 p.m. in Racer Arena. After Saturday's match up MSU will have five days off before hosting Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State the following weekend, as part of the Swinging To Eliminate Cancer fundraiser to support the Gesler Family of Murray.
Quotes:
Head Coach David Schwepker
“We finally had our starting lineup in that we had the opening weekend of the season. After the first set they were able to settle down and trust each other, which allowed them to play well.”
“In the first set we didn't pass well. The nice thing about our passers is that if you get on them and tell them the need to improve they respond. After the first set we did a much better job passing and that really made a difference.”
“Coach Ping worked a lot with the team on blocking skills this week in practice and I think it really showed tonight.”
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