Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball Competes in Carolina Classic
9/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Marshall University volleyball team travels down tobacco road from Greensboro to the Dean E. Smith Center to play against 2008 NCAA tournament qualifiers Colorado State, Tennessee and UNC in the Carolina Classic.
First on the slate of tournament games for the Herd is Colorado State on Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Rams (4-3) enter the tournament winners of four of their last five matches, with victories against Cal Poly, Georgia Southern, Ohio State and UT-Arlington. The lone loss came to the Duke Blue Devils.
Danielle Minch leads the CSU offensive, as the outside hitter averages 3.38 kills-per-set on the season. Middle blocker, Tessa Nelson is connecting on an average of 1.26 blocks-per-set, while hitting at a .289 attacking percentage (44K-9E-121TA). Katelin Batten patrols the defensive side for the Rams, with 3.71 digs-per-set on the season.
On Saturday, MU will play a doubleheader against UNC and Tennessee. The first match against the Tar Heels will start at 10 a.m., followed up with a tilt against the Lady Volunteers at 5:30 p.m.
UNC (3-3) enters the tournament after competing in the Best Western Shocker Volleyball Classic in Wichita, Kan. The Heels posted a 2-1 record with victories against Grambling State and Oklahoma, while falling in four sets to then No. 25 ranked Wichita State.
The Heels feature five players who average two-or-more kills per set, including Suzanne Haydel who connects for 2.52 per set. Aleksandra Georgieva is the UNC top defender, registering a total of 57 digs (2.71 per-set) on the season.
MU concludes the tournament against Tennessee, who owns a 5-1 record. The Lady Volunteers earned three victories at their tournament, the Comcast Lady Vols Classic, by defeating Tennessee Tech, Western Kentucky and Lipscomb. At the Xavier Tournament, the Lady Vols dropped their lone match of the year against No. 7 Michigan, while sweeping Notre Dame and Xavier.
The Herd enters its third tournament of the season with a perfect 9-0 record. MU has captured titles at the Hofstra/Asics Invitational and at the High Point University Classic.
A trio of MU players average more than three kills-per-set in Elizabeth Herman (3.17), Kristin Marcum (3.16) and Katy Schad (3.16), while Emily Sullivan just misses the mark with 2.97. However, Sullivan owns the top attacking percentage on the squad at .413 (86K-15E-172TA).
A separate trio of the Herd averages more than three digs a set in Ryanne Milligan (3.84), Marcum (3.25) and Schad (3.25).
Setter Elizabeth Fleming runs the MU offense, distributing 11.29 assists per set for the season. She also averages 2.87 digs a frame.
Herman and Fleming have each earned Conference USA Player and Setter of the Week awards this season.
Live stats for the entire tournament can be viewed by logging onto the UNC athletics website at www.tarheelblue.com.
