Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
@HerdVolleyball Suffers First Setback in Conference Play
9/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Marshall volleyball suffered its first setback in Conference USA action Friday night at Southern Miss with a 3-0 (18-25, 15-25, 16-25) decision.
The Thundering Herd (13-5, 2-1 C-USA) was paced by freshman Jac'cara Walker with a team-high 12 kills. Following Walker was senior Cassie Weaver with nine kills and 11 digs. Freshman Madelyn Cole led the team with 17 assists and junior Kayla Simmons finished with 10. Senior Allie Kellerman had a match-high 17 digs.
Marshall began the match by taking the first six of nine points that included two kills for Walker and Weaver. The Herd pushed its lead to a set-high five points at 11-6 by forcing a Southern Miss (13-5, 2-1 C-USA) attacking error. Despite USM being down by five, the Golden Eagles found a way to rally to tie the set at 14. Southern Miss began to pull away by scoring five straight points to take a 20-15 lead, which forced a Herd timeout. The lead was too much to overcome as the Golden Eagles took the first set with a 25-18 win.
Southern Miss continued to roll in the second set by taking an 8-2 lead. Marshall called a timeout and grabbed four of five points after the break, including kills by Weaver and Walker. Cole brought the match within two after an ace and a kill, but that was the closest the Herd would get to the Golden Eagles. USM went on to score six straight points to take a 16-8 lead. After trading points, Southern Miss went on to expand its lead to 22-10, and eventually won the set, 25-15.
Following the break, Marshall opened the third frame with two points by a Walker kill and a block by Madison Hill. The lead didn't last as USM went to take the next four points to take a 4-2 lead. From there, the Herd had to play catch-up throughout the rest of the set. MU brought the match as close as one and two points, but Southern Miss never surrendered the lead en route to a 25-16 set win.
Despite the loss it was a month to remember for the Thundering Herd. Marshall closed out September with an 11-3 record with nine sweeps, including a seven sweeps in a row.
Marshall will be holding a clinic on Sunday afternoon that will benefit the volleyball program. Walk ups are encouraged. For more information please e-mail assistant coach Matt Jackson at jackson310@marshall.edu.
COACH'S CORNER
Quotes by head coach Mitch Jacobs
On the match:
We just couldn't get anything going tonight. Southern Miss played a great match start to finish. Pressured us, made us uncomfortable and we had no answers. It was just their night.
On what to take from tonight's match and looking ahead:
We know we are better team than what showed up tonight. We know we need to get back in the gym, refocus and get ready for FIU. What I expect out of this team is to realize once again that we are have to be a unit and all do our jobs a little better. That's what we will do and I'm sure we are all excited to get two more matches back at the Henderson Center next weekend.
UP NEXT
Marshall returns home to the Cam Henderson Center for a matinee game against FIU on Friday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m. The Herd will also play UTSA on the following Sunday at Noon.
