Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UTSA
Volleyball Battles But Falls to League-Leading UTSA
10/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall volleyball slipped to 4-5 in Conference USA play after falling to league-leading UTSA 3-1. The Herd dropped the opening stanza 25-20, battled to take game two 25-21, but fell in sets three and four by scores of 27-25, 25-20.
Sophomore Cassie Weaver (Huntington) recorded her ninth double-double, posting 13 kills and 18 digs. Junior Lauren Legge (Pliny, W.Va.) also recorded 13 digs, and senior Sammie Bane (Brownstown, Ind.) collected 43 assists and 16 digs.
"We played hard," head coach Mitch Jacobs began. "We played hard, but we just have to continue to do so. I am proud of the fight they played with, we haven't been playing with that kind of fight. We can be a much better team than we've been, and we showed that., We've just got to find a way to change that."
"They've got all the pieces to be a great team; we're young in our pieces and we keep doing better and better," Jacobs finished. "Lauren [Legge] has just stepped to another level. I'm really proud of her; she's doing a heck of a job. Cassie [Weaver] might have had her best night, in terms of keeping her mind in it. She knows she has to cut down on those errors, but she's trying really hard, and I've got to be proud of that."
In the opening frame, Marshall remained within one point of the Roadrunners until a three point run gave UTSA the momentum and a seven point lead. The Herd climbed back within three before falling 25-20.
Marshall opened game two with control, taking a three point lead at 9-6 off a kill from Legge. The Roadrunners then took three straight points to tie the match, and then the lead. The Herd battled back to take the set once more off of two big kills from junior Jillian Shemanski (Jupiter, Fla.), and remained in the lead to nab the game 25-21.
Following the intermission, the match remained a battle. Marshall stayed within one until a four point sequence put UTSA ahead 10-15. The Herd climbed back, cashing in on slams from Weaver, Shemanski, and Legge, to tie the game at 23 all, before the Roadrunners rallied for three to steal the set 27-25.
Trailing by a game, Marshall took the first point of set four off a Bane service ace before UTSA collected four in a row to go up 6-2. The Herd then had its own three point rally and continued to apply pressure to the Roadrunners, tying the set 10 all and then taking the lead off a UTSA miscue.
Another three point sequence from the Roadrunners placed them once again ahead at 17-13, before Marshall battled back again with another three point rally, tying the match at 18 points apiece before succumbing to UTSA 25-20.
Marshall will conclude its homestand, facing fellow Texas team UTEP on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 12:30 p.m.
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