Sauer Sets MSU Digs Record in Five-Set Loss at Eastern Kentucky

Friday, November 4

Richmond, Ky.

5:00 PM

Murray State

Eastern Kentucky

Photo by: Murray State Sports Information

Sauer Sets MSU Digs Record in Five-Set Loss at Eastern Kentucky

11/4/2011 10:55:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Murray State volleyball senior Kayleah Sauer came into the match needing 21 digs to set the Racers All-Time Digs record and she responded with a season-best 33 in the 3-2 loss (25-19, 25-18, 23-25, 19-25, 15-13) at Eastern Kentucky. The match broke the two-way tie between the teams for fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings.

Box Score

The Racers (8-20, 8-9 OVC) were led by senior Mary Cunningham, who tallied a .250 (12k-6e-24ta) hitting percentage. Cunningham was one of four players with double-digit kill totals in the match. Senior Teresa Krog led the way with 15, while sophomore Wendi Zickfield added 12 and freshman Beth Mahurin garnered 11. Zickfield also added 16 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Junior Lia Havili added a team-best 14^th double-double of the year, with 48 assists and 13 digs.

The first set was a close battle at the beginning, with 11 tie scores and seven lead changes. The Racers took the first large lead of the set, with a 5-0 run to go up 10-6. The Colonels countered with a 4-0 run that knotted the score at 10 and the teams then traded runs and serves until the score was again tied 15-all. That is when MSU pushed up the momentum, with a 3-0 run that gave them the lead for good. The set was still close for the next few points, but another 4-0 Racers' run secured the lead and MSU went on to win 25-19.

EKU came out strong in the second set and took an early 7-3 lead. The Racers countered with a 5-1 run to tie it at eight and the teams then traded serves for the next four points before the Colonels went on a 2-0 run to take a 12-10 advantage. MSU responded with a 4-0 run to take the lead for good. EKU kept it close and the score was 18-17 when the Racers secured the win with a 7-1 run to take the 25-18 win.

The third set was again a tight battle, with 12 ties and three lead changes throughout. The score was 20-all when the Colonels used a 3-0 run to take a 23-21 advantage. The Racers tied the set at 23, with a 2-0 run, but EKU kept the pressure up and went on a final 2-0 run to earn the 25-23 win.

The Colonels took the momentum they had gained in set three into set four. The start of the set was a back-and-forth battle of runs, with MSU going on a 5-0 run that gave them an 8-6 lead. During the run Sauer recorded her 2,126^th career dig to set the Racers All-Time Digs Record. However, EKU followed with a 7-0 run that gave them a 13-8 lead and control of the set. The teams then traded points and runs, but the lead was too much to overcome and the Colonels forced a fifth-and-deciding set with a 25-19 win.

The Colonels came out strong again in the fifth set; with a 3-0 run and built an 8-3 lead before the Racers started a come-back. MSU used a 6-1 run to tie the set at 10, but EKU then went on a 3-0 run that gave them the advantage (13-10). The Racers used a 2-0 run to cut the lead to one, but EKU kept fighting and earned the 15-13 win.

MSU out-dug and out-hit the Colonels in the match, but trailed in blocks and service aces. The Racers tallied a .103 hitting percentage to a .073 mark but EKU and garnered 88 digs to the Colonels 64. EKU earned advantages in blocks (14-11) and service aces (3-0).

The Racers will play their final regular-season road match of the 2011 campaign, Saturday, Nov. 5 at Morehead State at 1 p.m.

Notes: This was the third-straight five-set match for the Racers and the first in the series that they lost…Sauer is now ranked fifth in the OVC career digs list, with 2,138…to moving into fourth she would need to dig a total of 2,221.