JACKSONVILLE, AL -
JACKSONVILLE The Jacksonville State volleyball team used a first-set rally to fuel a 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18) win over Murray State in Friday's semifinals of the 2009 Ohio Valley Conference Championship at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
The top-seeded Gamecocks (25-6) dropped that first set after turning an 18-7 deficit into a 22-22 tie, but they used the momentum gained to roll through the next three sets and eliminate the fourth-seeded Racers (13-18) from the six-team tournament. It was JSU's third win over the Racers this season and its 19th overall win in the last 20 matches. The Gamecocks' 25th win ties the 1997 team for the school's most wins in its Division I history.
Sophomore Lauren Harkins picked up a match-high 31 digs to lead a JSU defensive effort that totaled 82 digs and 13 blocks. The Louisville, Ky., native notched her fourth career 3-dig match and also put down three service aces in the win.
The Gamecocks' front row spread its 13 blocks among seven different players, and watched juniors Caitlin Vorbeck and Kara Slater and freshman Jen Meyer hit for high percentages on offense. Vorbeck, a native of Raytown, Mo., had a match-high 14 kills on a .379 attack percentage and was joined in the middle by Slater's 11 kills. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native committed just two errors on 18 attacks for a .500 attack percentage.
Meyer hit .444 on her 18 attacks for the Gamecocks. The Maineville, Ohio, native also committed just two errors.
Senior Brittney Whitten notched her 24th double-double of the season with 17 digs and 13 kills. The Boonville, Ind., native had a pair of solo blocks and three service aces to help keep her collegiate career alive. Freshman Alyx Schulte rounded out a corps of five Gamecocks with double figures in the kills column with 10.
Junior Brooke Schumacher also picked up a double-double, her seventh of the season, with 38 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore Allie Schleisman spent time at setter, as well, dishing 16 assists.
The Racers were led on offense Logan Su's 11 kills, while Cassie Chesney recorded 26 digs while filling in at libero for OVC Defensive Player of the Year Kayleah Sauer. Jade Guo dished 35 assists in the loss.
JSU advances to Saturday's championship match to take on fourth-seeded Morehead State. The match will begin at 7:30 p.m., with the winner earning the OVC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The top-seeded Gamecocks (25-6) dropped that first set after turning an 18-7 deficit into a 22-22 tie, but they used the momentum gained to roll through the next three sets and eliminate the fourth-seeded Racers (13-18) from the six-team tournament. It was JSU's third win over the Racers this season and its 19th overall win in the last 20 matches. The Gamecocks' 25th win ties the 1997 team for the school's most wins in its Division I history.
Sophomore Lauren Harkins picked up a match-high 31 digs to lead a JSU defensive effort that totaled 82 digs and 13 blocks. The Louisville, Ky., native notched her fourth career 3-dig match and also put down three service aces in the win.
The Gamecocks' front row spread its 13 blocks among seven different players, and watched juniors Caitlin Vorbeck and Kara Slater and freshman Jen Meyer hit for high percentages on offense. Vorbeck, a native of Raytown, Mo., had a match-high 14 kills on a .379 attack percentage and was joined in the middle by Slater's 11 kills. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native committed just two errors on 18 attacks for a .500 attack percentage.
Meyer hit .444 on her 18 attacks for the Gamecocks. The Maineville, Ohio, native also committed just two errors.
Senior Brittney Whitten notched her 24th double-double of the season with 17 digs and 13 kills. The Boonville, Ind., native had a pair of solo blocks and three service aces to help keep her collegiate career alive. Freshman Alyx Schulte rounded out a corps of five Gamecocks with double figures in the kills column with 10.
Junior Brooke Schumacher also picked up a double-double, her seventh of the season, with 38 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore Allie Schleisman spent time at setter, as well, dishing 16 assists.
The Racers were led on offense Logan Su's 11 kills, while Cassie Chesney recorded 26 digs while filling in at libero for OVC Defensive Player of the Year Kayleah Sauer. Jade Guo dished 35 assists in the loss.
JSU advances to Saturday's championship match to take on fourth-seeded Morehead State. The match will begin at 7:30 p.m., with the winner earning the OVC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
