Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Morehead State
Volleyball Storms Back to Capture Five-Set Victory
9/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 7, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Laura Der posted her third career double-double along with recording four kills and two solo blocks in the fifth and deciding set to lead Marshall who fell behind Morehead State 2-0, to a thrilling 3-2 (16-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-17, 15-10) comeback victory on Tuesday evening inside the Cam Henderson Center.
Marshall evens its record at 4-4 overall, with three of the victories needing a fifth and deciding set. The Eagles fall to 4-4 on the season.
"I'm really proud of the team tonight," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "Morehead State is a heck of team and I couldn't be more excited with our effort."
After falling behind 2-0 in the match, the Herd thundered out of the locker room to hold an 8-3 lead, forcing MSU coach Jaime Gordon to call his first timeout. Desirre Wilkerson provided a much needed spark off the MU bench, recording three kills to put the Herd in favor, 12-5.
The Eagles bounced back to bring the game within a point, 24-23, after falling behind early. The Herd shut the door on the frame when Elizabeth Fleming set up fellow senior Elizabeth Herman for a kill to keep the MU hopes alive and send the match to a fourth set.
"The stuff block that Cameron Yoho had to start game three really got the momentum going our way", Jacobs said. "She hit .318 tonight for us and has been one of our most consistent players."
In the fourth frame, the two teams tied five times, the last being at 12-all. The next two points for MU came thanks to consecutive blocks by the tandem of Katy Schad and Yoho. The defensive plays helped ignite the Herd as the home team rolled to a 25-17 victory, setting up the fifth and deciding set.
Der was an absolute monster on both the offensive and defensive side of the court for the Herd in the team's third game in four matches lasting five sets. The Clarksville, Ind., native pounded down four kills and tallied two solo blocks to help secure the come-from-behind victory for the Herd.
"To have a team hit .448, .261 and .314 against us and win that game when they hit .314 and then turn it around and hold them to negative numbers...that is an outstanding defensive effort," Jacobs said. "That is one of the best defensive efforts I can remember since I've been here."
MSU managed to hit just -.080 and -.048 in the fourth and fifth frames against the MU defense that combine for 12 total blocks on the night.
In her double-double performance, Der posted 15 kills and 15 digs and added trio of blocks and service aces.
Herman nailed 21 kills to lead the match and added three block assists and a pair of digs in the victory. From the setter position, Fleming tallied 42 assists and 13 digs for her third double-double of the year.
Schad topped the Herd with 22 digs, while libero Dorothy Rahal chipped in with 18.
The Herd volleyball squad is off until the Battle of the Golden Ball in Morgantown against in-state rival West Virginia on Tues., Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.
