Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
East Carolina
Volleyball Defeats ECU in Regular Season Finale
11/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The Marshall University volleyball team defeated East Carolina, 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16) to conclude its regular season and sweep the season series on Saturday afternoon at Minges Coliseum. The Herd will take part in the Conference USA tournament, hosted by Rice University, which starts on Friday, Nov. 20.
MU ends the regular season with a 22-8 overall record, while finishing 10-6 in C-USA play. ECU wrapped up the year 9-19, 2-14 C-USA.
"It's always tough to overcome the emotions that a team plays with when they have five players celebrating their senior day," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "So I'm very proud that we were able to overcome that obstacle and give us the opportunity to come away with a victory."
An Elizabeth Fleming kill followed by a Katy Schad service ace gave MU a 10-5 lead in the early goings of the first set. The Herd led 13-10, when Elizabeth Herman highlighted a 4-0 rally. The outside hitter recorded three kills and teamed up for a block with Emily Sullivan during the spurt to take a commanding 17-10 advantage. MU held on in the set for a 25-22 first-stanza victory.
The Herd jumped out of the gates quickly to own a 7-2 cushion in the second set. The Pirates worked their way back in the frame, slicing the MU lead to one point, 15-14. Holding the upper hand at 19-17, the pair of Sullivan and Elizabeth Fleming combined for a block, before Sullivan laced a service ace to increase the lead to four, 21-17. Herman ended the set by connecting for a kill to help earn the win, 25-21.
In the third set, ECU held the lead until the Herd recorded consecutive points thanks to a block from Cameron Yoho and Herman and an attacking error by the Pirates. The score was squared at 21-21, but the Herd was outscored 4-2 as ECU won the third frame, 25-23, to send the match to a fourth set.
MU rolled in the fourth set, 25-16, to knock off the Pirates for the second time this season.
Herman led the offensive charge for the Herd connecting for 19 kills and adding seven digs. Sullivan contributed 13 kills on a .345 attacking percentage (13K-3E-29TA), while Schad chipped in with 10 kills.
Libero Ryanne Milligan collected a career and match-high 22 digs for the Herd, while classmate Andrea Booker tallied three digs of her own. Fleming garnered match-medalist honors in assists with 47.
"Looking at the season as a whole, all I can say is that this group has been as fun a group to be around and coach as any I've had," Jacobs said. "Excellent regular season, but now its tourney time and one-and-done time! A 22-8 record and 10 conference wins is a great start to our rebuilding. Now it's easy to stay focused on match 31 and only match 31."
The Herd will take part in the eight-team C-USA tournament, which begins on Friday, Nov. 20 in Houston, Texas at Rice University. Specific game times are TBA.
