Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
Volleyball Falls To Southern Miss., 3-2
10/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 5, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Marshall University's Megan Carlson (Andover, Minn.) recorded a team-high 20 digs, but Southern Miss. was able to rally for a 17-15 win in the fifth set to seal a 3-2 (25-11, 18-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-17) victory over the Thundering Herd in Sunday's Conference USA volleyball match in Hattiesburg, Miss.
With the loss, Marshall falls to 8-7 overall, 1-4 in the conference, while Southern Miss. moves to 12-6 on the season, 2-3 in C-USA action.
With the contest even at two sets apiece, Marshall took an early 6-2 advantage in the deciding stanza before Southern Miss. responded with five of the next seven points to cut its deficit to 8-7. The Herd used a kill by Carlson and a trio of attacking errors by the Golden Eagles to extend its lead to 12-8, before Southern Miss. rallied for six of the next eight points, highlighted by a pair of Sarah Jane Bowden kills, to knot the frame at 14-14. Elizabeth Herman (Dunwoody, Ga.) gave Marshall a 15-14 edge and match point, but two kills by Bowden and a Herd attacking error allowed the Golden Eagles to win the set and the match.
Marshall is now 5-2 all-time against Southern Miss. The last time the Herd lost to the Golden Eagles was on Oct. 15, 2006, when it lost a 3-2 decision in Hattiesburg.
Marshall stormed out to an early 12-3 lead on the strength of two Cameron Yoho (Sisterville, W.Va.) kills, a pair of solo blocks and an assisted block by Yoho, a service ace by Jessica Dhoore (LaPorte, Ind.) and five Southern Miss. errors. From there Marshall posted a 13 of the next 21 points, including a 5-0 run, to take the opening set 25-11.
In the second stanza, Southern Miss. broke out to a 16-9 before Marshall answered with a 7-1 run that saw Yoho, Kristin Marcum (Arlington, Texas) and Carlson each register a kill, to bring Marshall to within one at 17-16. Southern Miss. extended its cushion to 20-18 before five straight points sealed the frame for the Golden Eagles.
Set three saw Marshall build an 18-12 lead before Southern Miss. used a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 20-18. The Herd used an assisted block from Jalicia Ross (Bank Village, Trinidad) and Elizabeth Fleming (South Bend, Ind.) before Herman put down a kill to give Marshall a 22-18 advantage. Ross then teamed with Herman for a block, the Herd received a kill apiece from Fleming (South Bend, Ind.) and Yoho, as Marshall closed out the set scoring five of the last eight points to take a 2-1 lead in the contest.
After eight ties and four lead changes to start the fourth set, Southern Miss. took a 12-10 lead before using three Marshall attacking errors, a service ace by Ashley Petrinec and a kill by Angela Hlavaty to post a 17-10 edge. The Herd responded with a 10-6 run that saw Carlson drill five kills, while Ross added two, to bring Marshall to within two at 23-20, but a termination by Lauren Sears, and an attacking error by the Herd allowed Southern Miss. to claim the set and force a deciding fifth stanza.
Marshall was able to out-block the Golden Eagles 16.0-7.0. Ross finished with seven assisted blocks while Fleming totaled five assisted blocks. Yoho chipped in with two solos and five assisted blocks, while Herman added a pair of solo blocks and four assisted.
Herman finished with a team-high 14 kills, followed by Ross's 12, and Carlson's 11 kills. Five Marshall players recorded double-digit digs with Carlson leading the way with 20. Fleming totaled 12 and Dhoore 11, while Taylor Tanner (Union, Ky.) and Marcum registered 10 each.
Fleming finished the match with a team-high .462 hitting percentage (7K, 1E, 13TA) and 54 assists, while Yoho's 10 kills on 20 swings with one miscue was good enough for a .450 hitting mark.
Southern Miss. received a match-high 16-kill performance from Petrinec, and a 20-dig effort Maia Ivanova. Kelsea Seymour guided the Golden Eagles offense with a match-best 56 assists.
Hlavaty finished with 15 kills and 10 digs, while Petrinec added 10 digs. Bowden and Sears notched 11 and 10 kills respectively to round out Southern Miss. players with double-digit kills.
Marshall returns to action Friday, Oct. 10 when it hosts Rice in a C-USA showdown. That contest is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start. The Herd will then square off against Houston, Sunday, at 12:00 p.m. in the Cam Henderson Center.
