Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball Travels for Final Two Regular Season Matches
11/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 11, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University volleyball team will play its final two regular season matches this week, the first being a mid-week tilt at UAB on Thursday at 8 p.m. The Thundering Herd will conclude the regular season with a match at East Carolina on Saturday at noon.
Marshall (21-7, 9-5 C-USA)
MU enters its final week of regular season matches after posting a 2-0 record at home this past weekend. The Herd swept UAB on Friday night, followed up with a 3-1 senior day victory against Memphis on Sunday. The match against Memphis marked the final home match for seniors Kristin Marcum and Emily Sullivan. The pair helped MU post an impressive 8-1 home record inside the Cam Henderson Center this season.
The Herd along with seven other league clubs all secured a playoff spot in the Conference USA tournament (Nov. 20-22). MU currently sits in the sixth spot, but could move up as high as the fourth slot in league standings if the team can win its last two matches and Rice and SMU lose their remaining games.
UAB (15-15, 7-7 C-USA)
The Blazers have clinched a playoff spot in the upcoming C-USA tournament and sit in the seventh spot in conference standings. The Herd is playing UAB for the second time in a week. MU swept the Blazers 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-18) last Friday.
As a team, UAB tops the conference in service aces/set (1.40) and ranks third in blocks/set (2.34). The Blazers have several players that rank in the top-five in numerous statistical categories this season: Michelle Uzoh - second in blocks/set (1.21), Andrea Lalic - third in service aces/set (0.32) and Heather Thomas - third in digs/set (4.75).
East Carolina (9-18, 2-13 C-USA)
The Pirates have been eliminated from playoff contention for the 2009 C-USA tournament. ECU dropped a pair of matches last week by 3-1 scores to Memphis and UAB and currently suffering through a seven-match losing streak.
The Herd defeated ECU on Sept. 19, 2009, 3-1 (25-21, 29-31, 25-20, 25-22) inside the Cam Henderson Center.
Elizabeth Herman, Kristin Marcum and Emily Sullivan all tallied double-digit kill performances in the victory. Herman led the squad with 16 kills on 32 attempts and made just one miscue for an impressive .469 attacking percentage. The junior added eight digs, a solo block and a block assist for the winners.
Sullivan and Marcum each tallied 15 kills on 26 attempts for an identical .423 attacking percentage. Sullivan recorded four digs, three blocks assists and a service ace, while Marcum added five digs to help MU up its record to 9-1 all-time against the Pirates.
GameTracker will be available for both matches by logging onto HerdZone.com.
