Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UAB
Volleyball Sweeps UAB, 3-0
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 6, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Elizabeth Herman and Emily Sullivan combine for 32 kills to help the Marshall University volleyball team roll past UAB, 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-18) in a Conference USA match on Friday night inside the Cam Henderson Center.
The victory puts the Herd at 20-7 overall, 8-5 in C-USA action. It marks the seventh time in eight seasons that a MU volleyball team has recorded 20-or-more wins under head coach Mitch Jacobs.
The loss drops the Blazers to 14-15 on the year and 6-7 in C-USA.
MU hit at a .321 (50K-15E-109TA) attacking percentage on the night, while three players reached double-digits in kills for the Herd.
"We played at a very high offensive level and we kept going after them," Jacobs said. " The whole key to the night was to make them stop us."
The first set of the night featured 21 ties, as both teams struggled to hold serve. Trailing 21-20, Herman tallied her sixth kill of the frame to tie the score. Kelly Bugler connected for a pair of kills, sandwiched around a MU service error, to put the Herd up one, 23-22. Ryanne Milligan nailed a service ace, followed by an attacking error by the Blazers to give the Herd a 25-22 first set victory.
Kristin Marcum recorded eight of her 11 kills on the night in the second set, to lead the Herd in a 25-23 second-set win. After back-to-back kills from Sullivan and Marcum put MU up 22-18, UAB tallied three-straight points to put the set within one, 22-21, and force a timeout by Jacobs. With the scored knotted at 23-all, Marcum tallied her seventh and eighth kills of the frame to take the second set, 25-23.
In the third and final set of the evening, Herman tallied six kills, while Sullivan chipped in with five, as the Herd used 10-2 run to take the third set, 25-18, and win the match.
"Liz Fleming did a great job tonight making sure that those big three (Herman, Marcum and Sullivan) kept going after it offensively," Jacobs said. "The four upperclassman led us to victory tonight."
Sullivan and Herman each finished the night with 16 kills apiece. Herman hit at a .448 (16K-3E-29TA) attacking percentage, while Sullivan hit at a .375 (16K-4E-32TA) clip. Marcum tallied her 10th double-double of the season, with 11 kills and 13 digs.
Elizabeth Fleming dished out a match-high 45 assists and added six digs, while Milligan was the match-medalist with 14 digs for the Herd.
UAB's Jordan McDonald paced the team with 10 kills and 11 digs for a double-double.
The Herd returns to the court on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Memphis Tigers. The match is the final home contest of the year and seniors Marcum and Sullivan will be recognized prior to first serve.
"These two players (Marcum and Sullivan) have won a championship, busted their butts and they have brilliantly represented the Herd both academically and athletically as daughters of Marshall," Jacobs said. "Please come out and support them on senior day.
