Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UCF
Volleyball Outlasts UCF to Win Fifth-Straight Match
9/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 27, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - After winning the first two sets and then being forced to a fifth frame, the Marshall University volleyball team held on to defeat UCF, 3-2 (25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12) in a Conference USA match on Sunday afternoon at the Cam Henderson Center.
The match was televised on CBS College Sports and will air on tape delay on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Marshall (15-2, 3-0 C-USA) received double-doubles from freshman Katy Schad and junior Elizabeth Herman. Schad posted a team-high 16 kills, along with 10 digs and two block assists, while hitting at a .355 (16K-5E-31TA) clip. Herman tallied 14 kills, 12 digs and four block assists to help the Herd post a 4-0 record on the home stand and winners of five straight.
"It was a little ugly at times today, but you have to give UCF a lot of credit," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "They kept attacking our weaknesses and luckily we were able to get off to hot start in game five and close it out."
MU fell behind early in the first set and trailed by six, 10-4, when UCF's Kristin Fisher nailed one of her 13 kills on the afternoon. The Herd would get within three, 11-8, before the Knights would double the lead to six, 18-12. MU would explode on a 13-3 run, which included three kills from Herman and two blocks from the pairs of Kristin Marcum/Cameron Yoho and Herman/Yoho to win the set, 25-21.
In the second set, Marshall led for most of the way, but the lead would get no greater than three, heading into a timeout by Jacobs, with his squad up 18-17. The Herd used a 7-2 spurt to close out the frame, and hold a 2-0 advantage heading in set three.
Both squads hit extremely well offensively in the third stanza, with UCF tallying a .345 (13K-3E-29TA) attacking percentage, followed by MU at .312 (16K-6E-32TA). The third set featured nine ties, with the advantage growing no larger than three points, after MU led 14-11. The score was tied at 23-all, when UCF tallied back-to-back kills to extend the match to a fourth set.
UCF worked off its success entering into set four, hitting at a .371 hitting percentage. MU jumped out to a 5-0 advantage, and led by as much as six, 9-3 in the early stages of the frame. The Knights went on a 10-3 rally, to take its first lead of the set, 13-12, and force the Herd into a timeout. UCF controlled the set the rest of the way to clinch the fourth set, 25-21, sending the match to a fifth and deciding game. It marked just the second time this season the Herd played five sets in a match.
In the deciding set of the match, MU started hot, taking a 7-3 cushion into UCF's second timeout of the frame. The Herd lead inflated to six, 12-6, but the Knights rallied to cut the deficit to two points at 14-12. Emily Sullivan was set by Elizabeth Fleming for her 15th kill of the night to stave off the Knights and preserve a five set victory.
"Obviously, game one was very important that we won," Jacobs stated. "We were off to a real slow start then we picked it up on the offensive side. When you look across the board, we out-hit them on a regular basis except for game four. We got off to a really fast start and then relaxed. We just have to learn to stay focused and keep pushing, but there is nothing wrong with being 3-0 in the league and luckily we have held home court for all three games. Now we have to go on the road for four very difficult matches."
Along with her 15 kills, Sullivan added four block assists and hit at a .346 clip. Kristin Marcum chipped in with 12 kills and five digs, while Fleming was the match-medalist in assists, dishing out 53, which tied for her season-high. She recorded 53 assists on Sept. 6 against Charlotte in the Herd's only other five-set match of the season.
Libero Ryanne Milligan totaled a match-best 17 digs, and has now recorded 10-or-more digs in eight-straight matches. Sophomore Cameron Yoho chipped in with eight kills on 15 attacks and no errors (.533 attacking percent) along with five block assists.
UCF was led by Erin Campbell, who recorded a match-high 18 kills. Fisher tallied a double-double for the Knights (13 kills, 10 digs), while Andree Youngblood dished out 45 assists and tallied nine digs in the loss.
"We need to keep taking another step forward every match," Jacobs said. "We are still playing some pretty good ball, but I don't know if we are as sharp as we should be. We are in the games and in the matches and keep giving ourselves opportunities to win games."
Marshall is off until Friday, Oct. 2, when the Herd travels to Tulsa for a match at 8 p.m. The following evening, MU will take on SMU in Dallas, Texas, at 8 p.m.
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