Sept. 27, 2008
Box Score
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KENNESAW, Ga.--Redshirt sophomore Sabrita Gulley became the first Kennesaw State volleyball player to reach the 20-kill mark in a match, but the KSU volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 25-20) on Saturday evening at the KSU Convocation Center in an Atlantic Sun Conference match.
"I thought we did a great job of fighting," said KSU head coach Valerie Jones. "We played very hard in some difficult situations and never gave up on points tonight."
The first set featured seven ties and four lead changes. The Owls led 13-9 after a block by Chelsey Denesha and Shanice Smith. CU (4-10, 2-4) would score 12 of the next 15 points to open up a 21-16 lead. KSU would pull within three after a solo block by Smith made the score 23-20, but two kills by Campbell's Emily Werner gave the Camels a 25-21 win in the opening set.
In the second frame, the Owls (2-12, 1-5) lost the first point but scored the next eight to open up a seven point lead. The Camels would creep back into the set, eventually tying the score at 17-all. A Gulley kill sparked a 6-0 run for the Owls, fueled onward by another Gulley kill and capped by a pair of successful attacks by Callie Churchwell to give KSU a 23-17 advantage. The Owls earned set point at 24-18 off a Gulley kill and won the second set two points later when Gulley powered home another kill, tying the match at one set a piece.
The third set would go the way of the visitors but the set featured four ties and two lead changes. Tied at 20-all after a block by Churchwell, Campbell would steal the momentum of the match by scoring the next two points to take a 22-20 lead. The teams traded service errors, but after a KSU attack error, Campbell had set point. The Owls fought off the first of three set points with a kill by Denesha, but an attack error gave Campbell the third set, 25-22.
In the final frame, the score was close throughout, but the Owls could never gain a late lead. After a net violation on Campbell went uncalled, the Camels had match point at 24-19. A ball handling error gave the Owls hope, but a kill for the Camels gave the visitors a 25-20 win in the set and 3-1 win in the match.
Ginny Frederick had 34 assists and 10 digs to record a double-double. Gulley fell a dig short of a double-double with nine digs to go with her record-setting 20 kills. Sophomore libero Eman Burns had a match-best 16 digs.
Campbell's Hope Leatigaga missed a double-double by a dig, notching a match-high 36 assists and nine digs. Werner had 12 kills to lead the Camels, also recording a match-best six digs.
The Owls will return to action this Friday when they face East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn. Match time is set for 7:00 p.m.
