Marshall University Athletics
Herd Volleyball Whips Zips
9/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Herd Volleyball Whips Zips
9/30/2004
- Box Score
AKRON, Ohio ? In quick, dominating fashion, the Thundering Herd volleyball team downed the Akron Zips 3-0 (30-21, 30-21, 30-26) Thursday night at the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio.
What a difference a year makes since the Herd?s last trip to Akron to take on the Zips. Last season the Herd found itself on the losing end of a 3-0 score. This time, the 3-0 turn-a-round against the Zips and a 3-2 win over Miami puts the Herd at 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference and 8-5 on the season.
?We took a gut-check from what we did against Miami and took it into this game,? Marshall head coach Mitch Jacobs said. ?Our offense really continued to play well and our defensive was really triggered by our blocking and that triggered our whole offense. We have a really solid young team and tonight we really played well.?
It was an offensive explosion that led to the domination of the Zips. Marshall hit .426 as a team compared to .134 for Akron. The Herd was led again by another brilliant performance by freshman Kelly-Anne Billingy (Trincity, Trinidad) with 29 kills and a .511 hitting percentage. She also had 12 digs, two aces and two blocks. In the last two matches, Billingy has a whopping 59 kills.
Marshall came out firing all night picking up the wins handily in the first two games with scores of 30-21, 30-21. The Herd hit .531 in game one to pull away from the Zips. In game two, Marshall used an 8-2 run to push the score to 11-5 and never looked back.
Game three was a different story, the Zips put the Herd in an 11-5 hole, but Marshall was able to creep back into the game and eventually hold on for the 30-26 win to take the match. Billingy had 14 of her 29 kills in game three.
Also in double-digits in kills for the Herd was freshman Stephanie Cahill (Louisville, Ky) with 10. Her 12 digs finished off a double-double on the night.
Turning in another impressive performance following her season-high 61 assists against Miami was junior setter Katie Stein (Sussex, Wis.) . Stein recorded 46 assists on the night for an average of 15.3 per game. She also had a match high 17 digs.
?This is a great win for the Herd,? Jacobs said. ?We can be proud of ourselves, but not too proud because we?re already focusing on Kent State tomorrow.?
The Herd now turns around and drives across town to fellow MAC East rival Kent for Friday?s 7 p.m. match. Kent State was picked to finish one spot ahead of Marshall in second in the MAC preseason poll.
?We?ve got a tough match ahead of us,? Jacobs said. ?They?re playing very well and we?re already refocused and ready to try and come home 3-0 in the conference.?
Kent State enters the match with a record of 5-4, 2-0 in the MAC. Friday?s match is set for 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center.
