Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball To Host UCF, Southern Miss
11/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 5, 2008
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University volleyball squad will host a pair of Conference USA contests, Friday, Nov. 7 against UCF and Sunday, Nov. 9 versus Southern Miss. Friday's match is slated for 7:00 p.m. with Sunday's match to begin at 12:00 p.m. at the Cam Henderson Center.
Marshall (10-13 overall, 3-10 C-USA) enters weekend action looking to snap a five-match losing skid and build on its 8-2 all-time record against UCF. The Thundering Herd dropped a 3-2 decision to the Knights on Oct. 3 earlier this season. Emily Sullivan (Cincinnati, Ohio) blasted a team-high 20 kills, while Jalicia Ross (Bank Village, Trinidad) and Elizabeth Herman (Dunwoody, Ga.) finished with 17 and 10 respectively. Erin Campbell paved the way for UCF drilling a match-best 22 kills, while Stephanie Serna, Janine Williams and Jenny Heppert added double-digit kills with 17, 14 and 13 respectively. The Knights now stand at 14-13 on the season and 6-7 in conference action.
Ross leads the Herd with 231 kills (2.78 kills per set average) and has contributed a team-high 57 total blocks (6 solo, 57 assisted). Ross leads C-USA in hitting percentage and is the fifth-best attacker in the country as she hits at a .431 clip.
Elizabeth Fleming (South Bend, Ind.) became the league's first player to record a triple-double during the 2008 season as she collected 12 kills, 12 digs and 42 assists during Marshall's 3-1 loss to UAB last Sunday. Fleming's 919 total assists ranks her fifth among C-USA setters, while her 10.69 per set is good enough for fourth in the league.
Megan Carlson (Andover, Minn.) rounds out the Herd's representation on the leader boards as she is listed fourth in service aces per set (0.35). She is also ranked fifth in the league with 30 total service aces. In just her first season with Marshall, Carlson leads the team with 238 digs, including a season-high and career-best 27 digs Nov. 2 against UAB. Her 27 digs against the Blazers places her in a tie for third in C-USA single-match digs for 2008.
UCF enters weekend play having lost seven of its last eight matches. Heppert is ranked sixth in the league with a .334 hitting percentage, while Campbell and Williams are ranked seventh and 10th in the conference respectively, for kills (345 and 327). Lauren Rosenthal is the Knights' assists leader with 895, which places her eighth among C-USA setters.
Campbell leads the UCF swingers with a 3.25 kills per set average, with Williams downing kills at a 3.11 kills per set clip. Kathleen Curry has totaled 309 digs (3.09 digs per set average) to lead the Knights.
Heppert leads the UCF blocking attack with 88 total stuffs (7 solo, 81 assists), while Lauren Williams follows closely behind with 86 total blocks (12 solo, 74 assisted).
Southern Miss, 14-12 overall and 4-9 in the conference, has lost five of its last six matches, including a 3-0 sweep at the hands of Tulane, Tuesday. The Golden Eagles will travel to East Carolina, Friday, before trekking to Huntington to take on the Herd.
GameTracker will be provided for Marshall's three remaining home matches, as well as during the Conference USA tournament by visiting HerdZone.com.
