Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
6-4
IUPUI
4-6
Racers Come Up Empty on Day Two of IUPUI Invitational
8/31/2019 6:06:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team wrapped up their weekend at IUPUI Saturday, taking on the host Jaguars before battling the Coyotes of South Dakota. The Racers went the distance with IUPUI but ultimately fell in five sets before dropping a three-set match to South Dakota.
For her efforts this weekend, which included 61 kills and 39 digs, Rachel Giustino was named to the All-Tournament team.
Against IUPUI, Giustino led the Racers with 28 kills and 15 digs while Ashley McBee dished out 52 assists. Rachel Holthaus also contributed with 16 kills.
The first set was tightly contested most of the way until IUPUI went on a 4-0 run to take a 24-21 lead. The Racers won two straight points to get within one, but the Jaguars put the set away with a kill on the next point.
MSU jumped out in front early in the second set and held the lead until the Jaguars won four straight points to take a 19-18 lead. The Racers responded and had set point at 24-23 and 25-24, but were unable to put it away which allowed IUPUI to eventually win the set, 29-27.
The Racers started off fast in the third set and this time made it stick. Up 13-10, MSU won three straight points on two kills by Giustino and a block by McBee and Megan Lindsay to gain some cushion. The Racers continued to hold a comfortable lead until finally winning the set, 25-19, on a service error by the Jaguars.
In the fourth set, Murray State jumped out again to a quick 5-1 lead, but IUPUI answered quickly to tie the game at nine. Neither team was able to pull away, but the Racers won consecutive points when it mattered most as Giustino had a kill and a service ace to end the set and win it 26-24.
The fifth set started off tight until the Jaguars went on a 5-0 run to take a 10-4 lead. With the set only going to 15, it proved to be too much of a hill to climb as the Racers dropped the set, 15-9.
Against South Dakota, Giustino had nine kills and McBee had 16 assists while Holthaus had nine digs and two blocks on defense.
The Coyotes jumped out to early leads in all three sets and held on in all three to win the match comfortably.
Murray State will be back in action next weekend at the Troy Invitational. They will take on Chattanooga and Jacksonville on Friday before taking on the host Trojans on Saturday.
