Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UCF
Volleyball Sweeps UCF in Conference USA Opener
9/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 23, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University volleyball team needed just three sets to take care of UCF, 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 26-24) in the two team's Conference USA opener on Thursday night at the Cam Henderson Center.
The victory pushed the Thundering Herd over the .500 mark at 7-6, 1-0 C-USA, while the Knights slide to 7-6, 0-1 C-USA and have dropped six-straight matches.
Senior Elizabeth Herman produced 14 kills on the night, tallying a .393 (14K-3E-28TA) hitting average for the Herd, which improved to 12-2 all-time against UCF. The Dunwoody, Ga., native has recorded more than 10 kills in nine of her last 10 matches.
In the middle, junior Cameron Yoho collected a .571 attacking clip, posting eight spikes on 15 swings with no miscues.
Running the offense was Elizabeth Fleming, who dished out 30 helpers and added seven digs. As the floor general for the Herd offense, Fleming has accumulated 30-or-more assists in 11-of-13 matches on the season.
In the first set of the night, MU fell into a four-point hole, trailing the Knights 22-18. A kill from Herman swung the score pendulum in the Herd's favor to cap off a 5-0 spurt to take a 23-22 edge. On two separate occasions MU had a change to take the set, but service errors extended the opening stanza. The score was deadlocked at 25-all before Yoho and Fleming notched consecutive kills to earn the 27-25 win.
Herman registered six kills on eight swings in the second frame as the Herd hit .355 (14K-3E-31TA) as a club in the second set. The UCF offense struggled to find any consistency, as the Knights managed just a .161 team hitting clip, allowing MU to take advantage, winning the set 25-20.
"It's great to see when we hit .361 and .355 in games one and two with just four hitting errors," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "We have been getting so much better at attacking by limiting our errors since the WVU match."
The third frame featured 13 ties and five lead changes between the two squads, with Marshall able to squeak out of the stanza and take the set, 26-24.
"Tomorrow night we've got to make UCF play and not make as many service errors as we did tonight, "Jacobs said.
The Herd and Knights battle again Friday night at 5:30 p.m. inside the Cam Henderson Center.
