Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Morehead State
Volleyball Comes Back to Down Morehead State in Four
9/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2009
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Marshall University volleyball team dropped the first frame of the match against Morehead State, but rallied back to win three straight sets and take the non-conference contest (27-29, 25-17, 25-20, 25-21) at Wetherby Gym on Tuesday evening.
The Herd's record now sits at 11-2, and waits to open the Conference USA schedule with a home match against East Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m. inside the Cam Henderson Center.
With the loss, the Eagles fall to 7-4 on the season.
Leading the charge offensively for the Herd was Elizabeth Herman and Kristin Marcum who recorded 14 kills each. Herman added six digs and six block assists, while Marcum tallied a match-best 18 digs for her fifth double-double of the season.
"Marcum was stable for us on the defensive side," Jacobs said. "Our ball control was shaky at first, but we turned it around and our serve and pass game was the difference in the match."
Elizabeth Fleming set up her teammates for 45 assists, along with 11 digs and seven kills, which marked her sixth double-double of the 2009 campaign.
"Fleming did a solid job distributing the offense for us," Jacobs said. "Having three players with 13-or-more kills is the balance we need on offense. Liz Herman played with the confidence we need her to play with and Emily Sullivan keeps doing a great job for us."
The first frame featured the teams trading points before they locked the score at 9-9. After trading points, MSU led 13-12, before the Eagles used a 7-0 run to own their largest advantage of the set, 20-12.
The Herd would not quit, as the team fought back from a hefty deficit. After closing the gap to four points, 23-19, the Herd received a team block from Fleming and Sullivan, followed by kills from Fleming and Marcum to knot the score at 23-all and force a MSU timeout.
The set would feature ties at 24, 25, 26 and 27-all before the Eagles were able to escape with a first frame victory, 29-27.
Even with the loss of the first set, momentum shifted in favor of the Herd.
"Fighting back in the first set allowed the team to see that were able to break through against Morehead State," Jacobs said.
"They were controlling the tempo and coming back showed we were better than our how we were playing. Even though we lost the set, coming back was important for our confidence."
The second set had five ties, with the teams even at 7-up. The MU lead would reach five, 15-10, when Cameron Yoho and Elizabeth Herman tallied a block assist each followed by a MSU attacking error.
After the Eagles scored two straight points, MU called a timeout, leading 15-12. The Herd scored six straight points, including a pair of kills from Marcum and Sullivan, to open the largest lead of the contest, 21-12. MU was able to hang on, 25-17, as Katy Schad connected for a kill from Fleming to help even the match.
Eleven ties occurred in the third set of the match, proving how evenly matched both teams were on the evening. After a kill from Herman, Abby Tomas held serve for the final four points, including a service ace, to propel the Herd to a 2-1 match lead.
MU managed to close out MSU in the fourth set, 25-21 to earn its 11th win of the season.
Sullivan hit at a .375 attacking clip with 13 kills on 24 attacks with four errors, while adding four aces, three blocks and two assists.
Schad posted nine kills and 12 digs, while Ryanne Milligan added 14 digs of her own. Yoho chipped in with five kills and five block assists and Tomas nailed two aces on the night.
"Any win on the road is fantastic especially against an opponent like Morehead State," Jacobs said.
MU will open its Conference USA schedule with a tilt against East Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m. inside the Cam Henderson Center.
The Herd will be putting on a special promotion - anyone that comes to the volleyball game will receive a $7 coupon off an endzone ticket for the MU vs. Bowling Green football game, slated for 7 p.m. on Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. All fans are eligible for this prize.
