Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Loyola (Chicago)
Racers Fall 2-3 in Five-Set Battle with Loyola (Chicago)
9/10/2010 6:27:09 PM | Women's Volleyball
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The Racers (2-6) were led by junior Logan Su, who tallied a season-best 18 kills and a .269 (18k-4e-52ta) hitting percentage. Seniors Becca Lamb and Ashley Nenninger were also in double-digits in the kills column for MSU, with 12 and 16 respectively. Junior Jade Guo helped pace the team with a double-double (53 assists and 16 digs – both season bests).
Defensively the Racers had three players in double-digits in the digs column, with junior Kayleah Sauer leading the way with a season-best 25. Sophomore Lydia Orf tallied a career-high 22 digs, while Guo added 16.
The first set opened with a fight for control of the scoreboard as the team's traded the first 10 serves before Loyola went on a 3-0 run to take the lead for the remainder of the set. The Ramblers used several small runs throughout the set to increase their lead to as many as six points, but the Racers also fought and closed the game to as few as three points before falling 20-25.
MSU came out ready to play in the second set and took an early 4-0 advantage. Loyola tied the set at five and the teams traded the next few servers before the Racers went on a 6-2 run to take an 11-8 lead. The Ramblers again countered and tied the set at 11. From then on in the set no team had larger than a one-point advantage until the end of the set. With the score tied at 23, MSU earned the final two points of the set on kills from Lamb and Nenninger to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set started off in the Racers' favor, as they went up 7-3. However, Loyola mounted a come-back and tied the set at 12 with a 4-0 run. The teams then traded runs and points for the next eight serves and the score was again knotted at 16. The Ramblers then went on a 5-2 run that gave them the lead for good. MSU fought the rest of the set, but fell 22-25.
The fourth set was all Racers after the first two serves were traded. MSU went on an 8-3 run that gave them the lead for the rest of the set. The Racers opened the lead to as many as six points and earned the 25-21 victory to force the fifth-set.
MSU opened the fifth set by continuing to control the momentum of the match and took an early 2-0 advantage. The Racers kept that advantage and expanded to as many as four (7-3) before the Ramblers started a come-back. Loyola tied the set at nine with two short runs and then took over for good with 1 4-0 run that gave them a 10-13 lead on its way to the 12-15 victory.
MSU continues at the UE Dunn Hospitality Tournament, Saturday, Sep. 11 with matches against Western Carolina (10 a.m.) and Evansville (6 p.m.).
Notes: Senior Sara Hayden earned her first started of the season after missing the first two weeks of the season due to injury…this was the second five-set match for MSU this season.
