Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Overcomes Sluggish First Game, Outlasts Miami
10/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Marshall Overcomes Sluggish First Game, Outlasts Miami
10/5/2002
HUNTINGTON, W. Va.?The Marshall Thundering Herd volleyball team improved to 3-1 in Mid-American Conference play, 12-5 overall, in a come from behind win over the Miami Redhawks (5-11, 0-3 MAC) 3-1 (22-30, 33-31, 30-25, 30-22).
?It?s great to pull something out when we started out so sluggish,? said Marshall coach Mitch Jacobs. ?Jodi Fick (Fremont, Ohio) was a huge factor for us tonight. Miami controlled all aspects of the match until she came in and got our setter some passes in system. Nicole Michal (Louisville, Ky.) put up the best offensive numbers for us, but Jodi was our MVP.
Marshall seemed to be feeling the effects of their Friday night match with Eastern Michigan,as the Redhawks jumped on the Herd early and often to take the first game running away, 30-22. Miami put together runs of five and eight points without a Marshall sideout in the game.
Game two opened the same way until Marshall won five of eight points to tie the game at ten. From there it was back and forth, as the game stayed within two points for most of the way. With the score tied at 31, Katie Stein (Sussex, Wis.) scored the 32nd point on a kill from her setter?s position, and then served out the game when Heidi Kuethe (Normal, Ill.) stuffed Miami outside hitter Kelly McCullough?s attack attempt.
With the third game tied at 16, Marshall scored five consecutive points to take control of the game at 21-16. MU hit .250 in the game, while the Redhawks hit .237.
The deciding game was all Thundering Herd, with Marshall playing the final 15 points with a six point cushion. The Herd had 21 kills, only three errors, and 40 attempts (.450).
Marshall was led by Nicole Michal, who had 14 kills, no errors, in 25 attempts. Heidi Kuethe had ten kills and a .318 percentage, while Tracey King (Miami, Fla.) was the match kill leader with 21. MU had four players with 10+ digs (Stein, King, Kuethe, and Isabelle Anderer).
Miami had a 14-kill performance from Tara Buroker (14-2-37). Kelly McCullough also had 12 kills for the Redhawks.
The Herd travel to Northern Illinois and Bowling Green this weekend.