Oct. 25, 2008
Box Score
BUIES CREEK, N.C.--Junior Asjia Stokes had one of the best matches of her career, notching 16 kills with a .609 attack percentage as the Kennesaw State volleyball team won its third straight Atlantic Sun Conference match with a 3-0 (26-24, 26-24, 25-21) win over Campbell on Friday night.
"Asjia had an outstanding match for us this evening," said KSU head coach Valerie Jones. "We were in a real fight in each of the sets tonight, but we kept fighting and came out on top."
Every set was competitive but none more so than the first set, which featured 12 ties and seven lead changes. Neither team led by more than two points throughout the set. Up 23-21, Campbell (6-16, 4-9) committed three straight errors, giving KSU set point at 24-23. Following a timeout, the Camels took the next point to even the set for the final time. Stokes then came up with a kill to give the Owls (5-17, 4-10) set point, and KSU took advantage of a service ace by junior Selina O'Leary to take the opening set, 26-24.
Each team had at least one three point lead in the second set, with Campbell taking a 22-19 lead following a kill to send the Owls into a timeout. A Stokes kill and a Campbell attack error cut the lead to one, 22-21. The Camels took the next point but a kill by freshman Callie Churchwell brought the Owls within a point again and CU asked for time up 23-22.
The timeout didn't help much as an attack error by Campbell tied the score at 23-all. The Camels would earn a set point off a kill that made the score 24-23, but the Black and Gold continued to fight. A kill by Sabrita Gulley fought off the CU set point, and after another attack error by the Camels, KSU had a set point of its own. The Owls would need just one try as a block by Churchwell and sophomore Paris Leonce gave KSU the second set, 26-24.
After the extended nature of the first two sets, the third set was a comparative breather for the Owls. With the score tied at 17-17, the Owls squirted off the next three points thanks to Churchwell and Gulley teaming for a block and each getting a kill. With the Owls up 23-20, Campbell asked for a timeout for the final time in the match. CU would get the first point but a block by Stokes and junior Chelsey Denesha gave the Owls three match points in hand. One would be all KSU would need as a Campbell attack error ended the match in favor of the visitors with a 25-21 win in set three.
Stokes had 16 kills and just two errors in 23 attempts. Her .609 attack percentage is the highest for any Atlantic Sun Conference volleyball player in a match with a minimum of 12 kills this season. Her 16 kills also match her season-high, set last Friday against USC Upstate.
Gulley joined Stokes in double-figures with 11 kills. Churchwell had seven kills while Leonce had five kills with no errors in five attempts for a perfect 1.000 attack percentage.
The Owls out-hit the Camels .250 to .139 for the match. Emily Werner had 13 of Campbell's 34 kills. Hope Leatigaga had a match-high 26 assists for Campbell while Leonce, junior Ginny Frederick and freshman Rachael Albright combined for 36 of KSU's 42 assists.
KSU will return to the Atlanta area to play metro rival Georgia State this Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the GSU Sports Arena.
