Marshall University Athletics
Herd Volleyball Thunders Over Niagara
10/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Herd Volleyball Thunders Over Niagara
10/13/2004
- Box Score
Buffalo, N.Y. - In quick, dominating fashion, the Thundering Herd volleyball team took care of the Niagara Purple Eagles Wednesday night in non-conference action with a 3-0 (30-18, 30-20, 30-21) win at the Gallagher Center.
As a team, Marshall hit for an impressive .438 percentage to improve to 12-6 overall, as opposed to Niagara which hit .150 on the night. Niagara falls to 2-13 on the season with the loss in the one hour and 15 minute match.
"Our offense was pretty efficient to say the least tonight," Marshall head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "Niagara is extremely well coached on defense and you have to give them credit, they never backed off and loaded up on our outside hitters and made us adjust our offense to the middle."
Defending Mid-American Conference East Division and National Player of the Week (Collegiate Volleyball, CVU.com) Kelly-Anne Billingy (Trincity, Trinidad) led the way again for the Herd with 20 kills and a mammoth .538 hitting percentage in the three game bout.
The 6-3, freshman outside hitter, also had eight digs, a block solo, block assist and service ace on the night. With her 20 kills, she surpasses the highest single player kill total on the team from last season (376, Nicole Michal). Billingy has 384 on the season.
Also putting up impressive offensive stats on the night was junior Amber Sims (Ney, Ohio), with 14 kills and a .458 hitting percentage. Freshman Stephanie Cahill (Louisville, Ky.) hit for a .474 mark with nine kills on the night.
Junior Katie Stein (Sussex, Wis.) continued to put up quality numbers from the setter position with 45 assists, three kills, three service aces and six digs. Maggie Arias (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the Herd with 10 digs.
"Our whole team really played well on offense," Jacobs said. "On defense we're going to have to sharpen up."
The Herd now heads across town to take on the Bulls of Buffalo tomorrow and looks to run its win streak to five and improve on its 3-1 MAC record. First serve is set for 7 p.m. from Alumni Arena. The Bulls enter the contest 0-6 in the MAC.
"We're already focused on Buffalo and ready to get back into a conference frame of mind," Jacobs said. "Buffalo's a very dangerous team and they're backed into a bit of a corner right now hungry for their first MAC win. We have to be very careful and come out ready so we're not their first victim."
