Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
4-4
Illinois - Chicago
7-2
Giustino Leads Racers to UIC Invitational Title
9/14/2019 8:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Senior and Chicago area native Rachel Giustino played for the first time in Chicago in her Murray State career and did not disappoint as she combined for 57 kills, 29 digs while hitting .326 in two wins Saturday over Illinois-Chicago and Bradley.
Combined with their win yesterday over Sacramento State, the Racers went 3-0 on the weekend to claim the UIC Invitational title, their first early-season tournament title since the 2017 Chattanooga Classic.
Against UIC, Giustino and Rachel Holthaus each had monster performances. Giustino led the way with 26 kills while hitting an efficient .344. Not to be outdone, Holthaus hit an even more efficient .361 with 17 kills. Juniors Ashley McBee and Chicago area-native Becca Fernandez also had big games as they recorded 47 assists and 20 digs, respectively.
The Racers fell behind 6-1 early in the first set, but a 5-1 run got them back into the set right away. Later in the set, the Flames held a 20-15 lead, but MSU responded with a 4-0 run bookended by kills by Giustino and Holthaus to get back within one. It still did not look like it would be enough, however, as UIC had set point at 24-21, but after saving three set points to tie the set at 24, Katirah Johnson teamed up Giustino for a block to give the Racers the lead before Johnson got some help from Emily Matson on a block to give the Racers to set victory, 26-24.
After the Flames won the second set comfortably, 25-19, UIC looked like they may take a two sets to one advantage in the match as they led 21-19, but Matson unleashed her big serve to the tune of three straight service aces, the first two of which were mishandled by the Flames before planting one in the corner to give the Racers the momentum and the lead. Giustino added another service ace a couple points later to give MSU set point before Holthaus ended the set with a kill.
The fourth set was the most tightly contested of the match as neither team held more than a two-point lead until the Racers took a 22-19 lead on a kill by Giustino. The two teams then traded points the rest of the way with Racers taking the set, 25-21, and the match on a UIC service error.
In the weekend finale against Bradley, the Racers were once again led by Giustino, who put up the first 30-20 performance in school history in the rally-scoring era (since 1999) with 31 kills and 22 digs while hitting .311.
Fernandez also had a big match, recording 33 digs while McBee dished out 50 assists, her third 50-assist performance of the season.
In the first set, the Racers jumped out to a 15-7 lead and never looked back as they eventually won the set, 25-21, hitting .295 as a team.
The second set was tight for most of the set until a 5-0 run by the Braves put them up 22-15 before the two teams traded points allowing Bradley to take the set, 25-18.
The third set also went back-and-forth until the Racers had set point at 24-23. However, Bradley won the next three points to take the set.
With their backs against the wall, the Racers jumped out to a 7-1 lead, which included five kills by Giustino, but the Braves climbed back into the set, tying the set at 13. The two teams kept battling until the set was tied at 21 when the Racers went on a 4-0 run win the set and force a decisive fifth set.
In the fifth set, the Racers won the first point, but Bradley responded with six straight points. With the set only being played to 15, Murray State had to have a quick response and they did as they went on a 9-3 run to take a 10-9 lead. However, Bradley won the next three points to take a two-point lead. Needing to make one final run, the Racers responded by winning five of the last six points to win 15-13.
Murray State will be back in action next weekend at the Stacey Clark Classic hosted by Purdue. They will take on Eastern Michigan and the Boilermakers on Friday before wrapping up non-conference play with Texas A&M – Corpus Christi on Saturday morning.
