Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball Heads to Chippewa Challenge
9/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- After falling 3-1 on the road to Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, Marshall volleyball travels to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for the Chippewa Challenge this weekend. The Herd will face teams from Butler and Green Bay, as well as host school Central Michigan.
Marshall begins the tournament Friday, Sept. 5 facing CMU at 7 p.m. and will continue with two matches Saturday, taking on Butler at 10 a.m. and playing Green Bay at 5 p.m.
All matches will be held in McGuirk Arena and fans can follow the links provided for live stats of each match.
"I'm looking forward to heading back to one of the better atmospheres I remember from our MAC days," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "If it's anything like it was from back in the early 2000's, I remember the fans being loud and they like to get after the opponent. Being Centrals' home opener can only add to their energy. We need to grow up quickly and see if we can start to extend our effort level deeper into sets."
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall had four athletes record at least 10 kills in its match with EKU- sophomore Cassie Weaver (Huntington, W.Va.) and junior Lauren Legge (Pliny, W.Va.) each collected 12, with sophomore Elyse Panick (Chicago) with 11 and sophomore Ally Kiekover (Grand Rapids, Mich.) picking up 10.
Kiekover leads the Herd with 39 kills on the season, followed closely by Panick with 38, and Weaver and Legge with 37.
Junior Jillian Shemanski (Jupiter, Fla.) continues to dominate at the net, picking up two blocks in the match at EKU, bringing her season total to 22 blocks. The middle blocker also leadsthe team with a .406 hitting efficiency.
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan enters the tournament seeking its first win after three loses in the Omaha Classic. The Chippewas are led by freshman outside hitter Jordan Bueter, who has 36 kills leading into Friday's tournament opener with the Herd. Junior Kristen Reenders has 59 digs on the season, averaging 4.92 digs per set.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Butler comes to Mount Pleasant with a 1-2 record, earning a 3-1 victory over Virginia Tech in last weekend's Bluegrass Battle. The Bulldogs then fell to No. 19 Kentucky in three sets, and battled with Wichita State (an NCAA tournament team last season) before falling 3-2. Senior outside hitter Belle Obert leads the team with 45 kills. Obert and senior defensive specialist Jadyn Yarling were all-tournament selections for their performances in the opening weekend.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay enters the weekend also looking for its first victory of 2014. The Phoenix fell to Arizona, Kansas State and South Dakota, all in three straight sets, in the Country Inn & Suites Tournament. Sophomore Megan Powers was selected to the all-tournament team with 16 kills during the weekend. Junior Taylor Kasal leads the team with 21 kills on the season.
WE MEET AGAIN
The last time Marshall faced Central Michigan, the Herd fell 3-0 to the Chippewas at home in the 2011 Thunder Invitational.
The Herd last faced Butler in 2003, falling 3-0 to the Bulldogs in Cincinnat.
Marshall and Green Bay previously met in 2006, where the Herd defeated the Phoenix in straight sets in the ECU Classic in Greenville, N.C.
UP NEXT
The Herd heads to Cardondale, Ill., for the Saluki Invitational on Sept. 12-13. Marshall will play against teams from Southern Illinois, Kansas State, and IPFW.
