Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball Concludes Regular Season With 3-1 Win Over ECU
11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 15, 2008
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University received a 15-kill effort from Emily Sullivan (Cincinnati, Ohio) and a nine-block effort from Jalicia Ross (Bank Village, Trinidad) to help pace the Thundering Herd to a 3-1 (21-25, 25-14, 29-27, 25-22) win over East Carolina in the final Conference USA regular season volleyball match for both squads at the Cam Henderson Center.
With the win, Marshall finishes the season 12-14 overall, 5-11 in league action, while East Carolina stands at 13-18, 3-13 in C-USA. The Herd also split the season series and now owns a 9-1 all-time record against the Pirates.
Leading 2-1 in the contest, Marshall and East Carolina battled to five ties and a 19-19 deadlock before Marshall took a 23-21 lead in the fourth set on a kill apiece from Elizabeth Herman (Dunwoody, Ga.), Layne Kehl (Mountain Top, Pa.) and two from Sullivan. Stephanie Turner downed a kill to bring the Pirates to within one at 23-22, but an East Carolina attacking error and a powerful blast from Megan Carlson (Andover, Minn.) allowed the Herd to claim the set and the match.
Marshall now sets its sights on the C-USA volleyball tournament hosted by Memphis beginning Thursday, Nov. 20-23. Tulane earned the 2008 regular season crown and the No. 1 seed in this season's tournament.
The sides opened up the contest in back-and-forth fashion as the teams knotted up 15 times before East Carolina posted slight 22-21 edge. From there, the Pirates used a Marshall service error, a kill by Britney Roper and a Herd attacking error to take a 25-21 victory in the first set and a 1-0 lead in the match.
The second set resembled much of the first in the early going as the teams struggled to six ties and a 12-12 score before Marshall erupted for 11 straight points on the strength of three Carlson kills, a pair of kills by Sullivan, a pair of assisted blocks from Ross and Carlson and a service ace from Cameron Yoho (Sistersville, W.Va.). Roper halted the 11-0 run but a Pirates service error and a kill from Carlson closed out the set for the Herd and evened the contest at 1-1.
The third frame saw neither team claim more than a three-point advantage as East Carolina took an initial 24-22 lead with a chance to clinch the set. A kill by Sullivan and back-to-back assisted blocks by Carlson and Ross swung the set and gave Marshall 25-24 lead. The Pirates answered with kills by Turner and Roper to give East Carolina a 26-25 edge, before a ball-handling error by the Pirates evened the stanza once again. East Carolina would take a 27-26 lead on a Marshall attacking error, but back-to-back kills by Herman and one by Kehl preserved the thrilling set three victory for the Herd, 29-27, giving Marshall a 2-1 lead in the match.
Carlson finished with a career-high 12 kills and a match-best 17 digs, while Ross blasted 11 kills to round out Marshall attackers with double-digit kills. Elizabeth Fleming (South Bend, Ind.) guided the Herd offense with 47 assists and added three kills and nine digs, while Taylor Tanner (Union, Ky.) finished with 10 digs.
Marshall out-blocked the Pirates 11.0-7.0 as Ross dominated the net with nine assisted blocks. Carlson and Fleming each added four assisted blocks, while Carlson recorded a solo stuff.
Turner and Roper led the offensive assault for East Carolina, picking up 13 and 12 kills respectively. Hannah Fenker and Katie Koop split time setting the Pirates offense as Fenker registered 21 assists, while Koop dished out 19. Fenker also led the squad in digs with 14, followed by Trish Monroe who provided 13 in the losing effort.
GameTracker for each match of the C-USA tournament will be provided on www.c-usa.org, and Marshall's matches can also be followed on www.herdzone.com.
Photos of Saturday's contest and all of Marshall's home volleyball matches can be viewed on www.herdzone.com.
Marshall returns to action at the C-USA Volleyball Championship tournament hosted by Memphis beginning Thursday, Nov. 20-23. Ticket information is as follows:
Admission Fees
Advanced Purchase:
All-Session Pass: $25 - Adult
All-Session Pass: $20 - Youth
Single Session Pass: $8 - Adult
Single Session Pass: $6 - Youth
Walk-up Purchase: All-Session Pass: $30 - Adult
All-Session Pass: $25 - Youth
Single Session Pass: $10 - Adult
Single Session Pass: $8 - Youth
Tournament Pre-Sale Group Rate (10+) - $15,
C-USA Students - Free with Student ID
