Sept. 6, 2007
Box Score
VALPARAISO, Ind. - Marshall senior outside hitter Kelly-Anne Billingy (Trincity, Trinidad) tallied a match-high 22 kills but Valparaiso had two players register 19 kills each to help lift the Crusaders to a 3-1 (32-34, 30-25, 30-24, 30-15) victory over the Herd in Thursday night's non-conference volleyball match at the Valparaiso Popcorn Classic.
With the loss, Marshall falls to 5-4 overall, while Valparaiso wins its fourth straight match to improve to 5-1 on the season.
Senior outside hitter Stephanie Cahill (Louisville, Ky.) tallied eight kills to break into Marshall's all-time top five kills list. Cahill has recorded 119 kills on the season and has totaled 1,134 over her career, placing her six kills ahead of former Herd great, Jane Mitchell who played from 1989-1992.
Leading two-games-to-one, Valparaiso jumped to a 7-0 advantage before Marshall pulled to within eight at 14-6. However, the Herd could get no closer as the Crusaders used a 16-9 run to seal the game and the match.
Tied 22-22 in game one, the two teams fought to three lead changes before the Herd built a 29-27 lead. The Crusaders won the next three points to take a 30-29 lead. Marshall then knotted the game again following a kill from senior middle hitter Uche Ndubisi (Indianapolis, Ind.). From there, the Herd broke a 32-32 deadlock on an attacking error by the Crusaders and used a Cahill kill to seal the game.
Tied 21-21 in the second frame, the Crusaders used a 9-4 run that included three kills by Angie Porche to even the match at one game apiece.
In game three, Valparaiso jumped to a 14-11 lead before the Herd pulled to within one at 20-19. From there, the Crusaders used a 10-5 run to post a 2-1 lead in the match.
Marshall volleyball returns to Valparaiso Popcorn Classic action Friday, when it faces Indiana University at 11:30 a.m. The Herd concludes tournament play when it takes on Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. Live stats for the remaining matches can be viewed at http://www.valpo.edu/athletics/
