MSU Sweeps Way to Catamount Classic Crown

Saturday, August 29

Cullowhee, N.C.

12:30 p.m.

Murray State

2-0

Western Carolina

1-1

Murray State

Western Carolina

8/29/2015 5:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Murray State volleyball team swept its way to the Catamount Volleyball Classic title with a pair of 3-0 victories Saturday. The Racers defeated host school Western Carolina to begin the day, 25-15, 25-18 and 25-15 and finished the tournament off with a 25-6, 25-21 and 25-20 victory over Georgia State.

Against the Catamounts, the Racers (3-0) were led by tournament MVP Kristen Besselsen's 13 kills and .600 hitting percentage. Taylor Olden added 11 kills and Scottie Ingram and Alyssa Lelm chipped in with eight and six, respectively.

Ingram led the Racers with 17 digs in the victory, while Sam Bedard recorded a double-double with a team-high 32 assists and 15 digs. Olden added 10 digs of her own against the Catamounts. As a team MSU hit .263 overall while WCU hit .000. The Racers also had seven aces in the match and WCU didn't record one. The Racers trailed just once against the Catamounts (1-1), 1-0 to open the third set.

Against GSU, the Racers hit a season-high .325 as a team and held the Panthers to a .000 hitting percentage.

Ingram led the Racers in the victory with 10 kills and hit .467 while Besselsen and Lelm each recorded eight kills. Ingram also had a career-best five aces in the victory and tied for the team lead with Besselsen with nine digs. Bedard recorded 34 assists in the match.

Joining Besselsen on the all-tournament team were Bedard and Olden. Besselsen hit .413 in the three wins and led the squad with 34 kills. Olden was second on the team with 29 kills over the weekend and hit .282 while Bedard averaged 11.6 assists per set to total 105 for the weekend.

As a team, the Racers hit .276 overall and held their opponents to a .072 clip. MSU also had a total of 20 service aces, while allowing opponents to collect just six.

Next week, the Racers head to the upper northwest as they will play Washington at 9 p.m. Murray time Sept. 4 and will face Buffalo at 4 p.m. central Sept. 5.