Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
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Kansas
Racers Drop Two Matches at Middle Tennessee State Invitational
8/29/2009 8:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team lost both of its Saturday matches at the Middle Tennessee State Invitational. The Racers (0-3) fell to the host Blue Raiders (2-0), 0-3 (17-25, 19-25, 16-25), in the first match of the day and then fell 0-3 (16-25, 19-25, 18-25) to Kansas (2-1) in the second.
Junior Sara Hayden led the team during both matches with a
total of 14 kills and seven total blocks (3-4).
Fellow junior Becca Lamb was also strong offensively for MSU, with 13
total kills and a .407 (13k-2e-27ta) hitting percentage. Sophomore Jade Guo ended the day with 44
assists, while sophomore Kayleah Sauer added 16 digs.
The first set against Kansas
started out close, with no team leading by more than one point until the
Jayhawks started a 6-1 run with the score tied at six to take the lead for
good. Kansas continued to extend its lead
throughout the set with several three and four-point runs and earned the 25-16
win.
The Jayhawks kept their momentum going heading into the
second set, earning a 3-0 lead. The
Racers then started to battle back and tied the set at three and four before Kansas went on a 5-1 run
to take a four-point lead. The Jayhawks
held on to the lead throughout the set, with both teams going on three or
four-point runs. The closest that MSU
was able to get was two points as the Jayhawks claimed the 25-19 win.
After holding off one set-point in set two, the Racers came
out strong in the beginning of the third set and earned a 6-1 lead. The run included two block solos from Hayden. The teams then traded 3-0 runs before MSU
pushed the lead back out to six (12-6). Kansas continued to
fight as it tied the set at 14 and took their first lead of the set (16-14),
with a 10-2 run. The Jayhawks increased
their lead to five points (21-17) and despite the teams trading the next few
points Kansas
held on for the 25-18 win.
Lamb led the team against the Jayhawks, with eight kills,
while Hayden added three (2-1) total blocks.
Defensively Sauer tallied 12 digs and freshman Lydia Orf added six.
The Racers were out-hit by Kansas (.324 to .135), but out-blocked the
Jayhawks (7-6).
In the first match of the day, MSU fell, 3-0 (17-25, 19-25,
16-25) to host Middle
Tennessee State.
The beginning of set one was a battle for control as the score toggled back-and-forth for the first 24 serves before the Blue Raiders earned the first two-point lead (13-11). MTSU then pushed the advantage to four points and never looked back, earning the 25-17 victory. The Blue Raiders were strong offensively, recording a .577 (19k-43-26ta) hitting percentage in the set, while the Racers hit .208 (9k-4e-24ta).
The second set was close again at the start, with MTSU
holding a two-point lead or the score tied, until the Blue Raiders pushed out
to a 7-4 advantage. MSU kept the score
close and fought to tie the match at 14.
The teams battled with ties at 15, 16, and 17 before MTSU took control
for good with a 4-0 run. At the end of
the set the Blue Raiders allowed the Racers to score just two points on way to
a 25-19 win.
Like the first two sets the third started out with the score toggling back-and-forth. Again MTSU was the first team to earn a three-point advantage and kept it throughout the set. The Racers kept fighting, but could not get closer than two-points the rest of the way.
MSU was led by junior Sara Hayden with eight kills and a .467 (8k-1e-15ta) attack percentage. Junior Mary Cunningham contributed six kills, while junior Becca Lamb added five and sophomore Jade Guo tallied four.
MTSU had a strong attack, hitting .500 (55k-11e-88ta) for the match, while the Racers hit .211 (27k-11e-76ta). MSU earned an advantage at the net, knocking down six of the Blue Raiders attempts and only had three of their own blocked. Hayden led the blocking effort for the Racers, with one solo block and three block assists.
The Racers will remain on the road for the next two weeks before opening the home portion of the 2009 campaign. Next week MSU will travel to Bloomington, Ind. to participate in the adidas Classic hosted by Indiana. The Racers will face Kentucky, Friday, Sep. 4 at 9 a.m. and UIC at 4 p.m. (EST). The final game of the tournament will be against the host Hoosiers, Saturday, Sep. 5 at 11 a.m. (EST).
