Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Florida Atlantic
Volleyball Clinches Third Consecutive C-USA Tournament Berth
11/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall volleyball 14-14 (8-5 C-USA) clinched its third consecutive Conference USA Tournament berth on Friday, battling with FAU 17-10 (8-6 C-USA). to a 3-2 victory.
The Herd fell behind early in the match, falling in the first two sets 25-22, 25-16, but rebounded to take the next three games at 26-24, 25-21, 15-8. Marshall has now won four straight games and five of its last six.
The Herd was led by sophomore duo Elyse Panick (Chicago) and Ally Kiekover (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who each tallied 14 kills on the night. Panick collected her sixth double-double of the season with 21 digs. Junior Lauren Legge (Pliny, W.Va.) added 13 kills and six total blocks. Legge has turned in double-digit kills in six of her last seven matches.
The Herd reached a team-season high of 15 blocks, led by junior Jillian Shemanski (Jupiter, Fla.) with seven, tying her season-best. On her senior night, setter Sammie Bane (Brownstown, Ind.) recorded 48 assists, 10 digs, an assisted block, and four kills.
"Very exciting night of the Herd," head coach Mitch Jacobs began. "I'm so happy for Sammie [Bane] that this night not only didn't end in disappointment, but with incredible joy."
"I thought we got lulled into a false sense of things early, as siding out was coming pretty easy, but I kept telling them we had to defend harder; make them work harder for their points. When that happened, I thought the match became very even, and as we were able to start putting our offense and defense together, we really gained control down the stretch."
"However," Jacobs continued, "None of the great stuff almost happened, as we really struggled late in set three. You have to give FAU credit, they never quit when they are down and can put some serious runs together, as they did in set two and late in set three."
FAU worked quickly in the opening stanza, taking the first three points and continuing to control, remaining in the lead the entire set. Marshall threatened late off a Panick kill to tie the game 22-22, but couldn't maintain momentum and fell 25-22.
Marshall opened set two with the lead, going up by as many as five points early in the frame. The Owls then turned in a massive rally, tallying 11 straight points, courtesy of defensive specialist Erika Brown, to go up 20-13 and end up taking the set 25-16.
The Herd returned to the court determined in game three, battling the Owls. At the 10-10 mark, Marshall began to break free, taking the next seven of eight points to go up 17-12. FAU worked its way back to make things interesting, tying the game at 24 all before a Kiekover kill and block courtesy of Panick and Kiekover ended the set at 26-24. The Herd net game was on point, turning in five blocks in the frame.
Marshall continued with the momentum, going up by as many seven points in game four. The junior duo of Legge and Shemanski dominated the net, turning in three blocks in the last six points of the set to take it 25-21 and forcing a set five.
The Herd ran the court in the final frame, going on a five point run and taking a seven point lead at 11-5. Marshall would hold the Owls to just three more points as they took the final game 15-8, and the match 3-2.
"I thought our block was a big difference maker as well," Jacobs said. "We struggled with it until Ashley [Arnold] got a couple in set three, then I needed to make an offensive sub to bring Jill [Shemanski] back in, and she continued, and I feel finished, with her best blocking match in a while."
The 13th year coach also spoke highly of his senior.
"Sammie Bane. What a fighter," Jacobs began. "She is following probably the two best setters in Marshall history (in Katie Stein and Liz Fleming), and yet she does it her way, and I know those two would be so proud of the way Sammie has upheld our tradition of great setters. All three have two things in common- all three are great leaders who would give their heart and soul to make their teammates better. I'm one lucky lucky person to have had these three running our program."
Marshall will play its final home match of 2014 on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m., taking on Western Kentucky.
