Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Morehead State
@HerdVolleyball Downs Eagles in Capital Classic Opener
9/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The Marshall volleyball team opened up play at the Capital Classic with a win Friday afternoon, defeating the Morehead State Eagles by a score of 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-21, 25-14).
Leading the way for the Herd was Jac'cara Walker with 19 kills and nine digs. Cassie Weaver added 14 kills and Ally Kiekover added seven kills. Kayla Simmons tallied 31 assists and Allie Kellerman had 19 digs.
Marshall opened up the match by taking four of the first six points on the strength of two kills from Walker and Weaver. After the teams traded points, the Herd went on another run, taking five of the next seven points to grab a 14-9 lead. Walker had a pair of kills and a service ace during the run. Morehead State would get within four points of the Herd lead, but would not come any closer. Immediately after the Herd called a timeout, a kill from Weaver clinched the first set for the Herd, 25-21.
Morehead State started the second set by winning three of the first four points of the set. The Herd and Eagles continued to trade points until consecutive kills for the Eagles gave Morehead State a 12-8 lead. The Herd would continue to battle in the set, continuing to stay within three points of Morehead State until the end, when the Eagles took four of the final six points to win the set, 25-20.
The Herd would open the third set bat taking three of the first four points, highlighted by another kill from Walker and a service ace from Simmons. The Herd and Eagles would continue to trade points until Morehead State took four consecutive points to gain a 16-12 lead. Marshall responded with kills from Madison Hill and Kiekover to cut the Morehead State lead to 16-14. Multiple service errors by Morehead State allowed the Herd to tie the set at 19 before another kill from Walker gave the Herd the lead for good. Three kills from Weaver at the end of the set gave the Herd a 25-21 set win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Herd carried momentum into the fourth set and raced out to an early 7-2 lead on the strength of kills from Walker, Hill and Weaver. Morehead State would never gain any momentum in the set, as the Eagles would come within five points of the Herd. The combination of Walker and Weaver continued to score points for the Herd, as the two combined for ten kills in the final set. The Herd took nine of the last 12 points to close out the set, 25-14, and win the match, 3-1.
COACH'S CORNER
Quotes by head coach Mitch Jacobs
On Jac'cara Walker and Cassie Weaverââ'¬Â¦
"I'm proud of our result today. Jac'cara Walker had a very nice match and Cassie Weaver really came on strong later in the match. We dug some balls, probably could've dug more, but we really started hanging in there and playing some better defense."
On rebounding in the third set and gaining momentumââ'¬Â¦
"I'm proud of the way we rebounded in the middle of set three. Morehead State had taken control of the match. I was proud of our kids for regrouping, they had lost their fire. We won that first set and just didn't recognize that Morehead made more errors than we scored points. So the fact that we came back and took control, followed through and the way we got out really quick in the fourth set was really important. We started to get control back and that's the game of volleyball. It can go both ways and momentum is huge."
On Morehead's Meredith Jewellââ'¬Â¦
"I thought we were able to keep Morehead's Meredith Jewell a little in check. She's a great player. We were able to kind of make her work for her points. Morehead State is a good team and if you let them get that momentum, they can run with it, and that's what kind of what happened in set two and partway through three."
#STAMPEDE16
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UP NEXT
The Herd will conclude the Capital Classic with matches against West Virginia tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Indiana State tomorrow at 1 p.m.
