Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Loses Heartbreaker To Eastern Michigan In Five Games
11/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Marshall Loses Heartbreaker To Eastern Michigan In Five Games
11/16/2002
Ypsilanti, Mich.--The Marshall University volleyball team dropped a five-game decision to the Eastern Michigan Eagles Saturday night, 27-30, 23-30, 30-24, 30-28, 14-16. Marshall drops to 20-9, 11-5 in the Mid-American Conference, while EMU improves to 25-6, 12-5 in the conference. With the win, the Eagles can clinch a home-court quarterfinal MAC Tournament match with a win over Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this coming Wednesday.
?We fell down early two sets to none and we had a couple of our players really get on our starters about their lack of intensity,? said MU head coach Mitch Jacobs. ?We rallied back to win the next two games, but we had some tough errors down the stretch to give them the match. However, you have to credit Eastern Michigan for playing great defense all night long.?
In game one, Marshall led by as many as six (15-9) points before Eastern Michigan rallied to tie the score at 24. The Eagles then scored the next three out of four points to go ahead for good, as they took the first set, 30-27. For MU, Amber Sims (Ney, Ohio), Grace Jones (Lakeland, Fla.), and Isabell Anderer each had four kills apiece to pace the Herd on the offensive end. In the first game, EMU hit for a .348 percentage (21-5-46).
The Eagles used a five-point run midway through game two to give EMU a lead they would not relinquish, as they downed MU 30-23.
Game three went to Marshall, due in large part to seven unanswered points to turn a 19-14 advantage into a 21-19 Thundering Herd advantage. Four out of the next six points also went MU?s way as they hung on for a 30-24 win. Tracey King (Miami, Fla.) had six kills and a .500 hitting percentage (6-1-10) to lead MU in the game.
The Thundering Herd forced a deciding game fifth behind Katie Stein?s (Sussex, Wis.) clutch serving. Like the night before against Kent State, Stein served the Herd back into the match. Trailing 22-19, the Herd reeled off eight straight points behind the freshman setters? serve to take the lead 27-22. The Eagles fought back, scoring the next six out of seven to tie the score at 28. With the Herd leading 29-28, Marshall got a kill from Nicole Michal to give MU game four, 30-28.
The deciding game five looked good for Marshall early, as they opened up a 9-5 lead. EMU setter Camila Olaio jumpserved the Eagles back into the game and ahead of MU 12-9. The Thundering Herd did not go down easily, as they battled back to tie the score at 12. The hotseat was on, and with the game tied at 14, EMU got a kill from Katie Wagenmaker, and then on the ensuing serve, Nicole Michal hit a ball into the net to give Eastern Michigan the game and the match.
The Herd had outstanding days from Michal, who had a double-double with 20 kills and ten digs, and Tracey King, who notched 15 kills on the night (15-6-40, .225). Freshman Katie Stein also played extremely well for MU, as she came away with 58 assists and 12 digs.
Eastern Michigan was led by Emily Busch, with 17 kills, and Camila Olaio, who had six kills, 56 assists, five blocks and 20 digs on the night.
Marshall returns to the road with matches at Kent State and Akron next weekend.