Aug. 31, 2008
Box Score
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--In a back-and-forth affair, the Kennesaw State volleyball team fell in four sets (22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23) to the University at Buffalo at the Air Force Labor Day Tournament.
Kennesaw State was led offensively by Chelsey Denesha, who had 12 kills to lead the Owls. Sabrita Gulley had seven kills and four total blocks, while Asjia Stokes had a match-high four aces for KSU.
The Owls (0-2) had the lead for most of the first set, but Buffalo rallied to tie the score at 22-all. Undaunted, KSU scored the final three points of the set, capped by a service ace by Stokes to give the Owls the win.
In the second set, Buffalo jumped out to a 7-2 lead but the Owls rallied back with a 7-0 run to take a 9-7 lead. After Buffalo tied the set at 9-all, the teams traded points until a Bulls run gave Buffalo an 18-12 lead. KSU would slip farther behind in the set, eventually falling 25-17.
The third set was evenly contested until the Bulls went on a 3-0 run to take a 14-11 lead. The Owls kept scrapping, but couldn't pull up to a tie.The Bulls opened up a four-point lead at 20-16, but KSU again pulled within one with three consecutive points. That would be as close as the Owls would get, as the Bulls scored five of the final seven points to take the set, 25-21.
The final set was tightly contested until the latter stages, when Buffalo went on a run to open up a 23-19 lead. The Owls scored the next two points thanks to a kill by Churchwell and an ace by Eman Burns. Buffalo scored the next point to get match point, but a Gulley kill kept the Owls alive. Gulley then blocked a Buffalo attack to fight off another match point.
But it was not to be for the Owls, as a kill by the Bulls gave Buffalo the 25-23 win in the set and a 3-1 win in the match.
The Owls will return to action tomorrow when they face Southern Miss to wrap up play in the Labor Day Tournament for KSU. Match time is set for 10:00 a.m. MDT.
Notes: O'Leary set a career high with two kills...The Owls were out-blocked by Buffalo, 10-5.
