Sept. 5, 2008
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga.--Junior libero Selina O'Leary had 22 digs, backing up an offense sparked by Sabrita Gulley's match-high 16 kills as the Kennesaw State volleyball team won its home opener with a 3-1 (25-27, 25-20, 26-24, 25-23) win over Loyola (Md.) at the Owls Challenge.
"Everyone that stepped on the court for us made contributions tonight," said KSU head coach Valerie Jones. "It's always good to win the home opener. Now we'll try and build on tonight's win and take it into tomorrow's matches."
A tightly-contested first set went the way of the Greyhounds. The set featured 11 ties and six lead changes, the last coming after Maja Kostic's kill evened the score at 25-all. The Greyhounds would get a kill and take advantage of KSU's eighth attack error of the set to win the opening frame.
Set two was a slightly different story as KSU rallied from an early four point deficit to take a 13-10 lead after a Gulley kill. The Greyhounds pulled within a point at 20-19 after a KSU attack error, but that would be the last miscue the Owls would make in the set. The Black and Gold went on a 5-1 run, using three errors by the Greyhounds, an ace by O'Leary, and a kill by Gulley to even the match at a set a piece.
The pivotal third set saw KSU hold four set points in hand with a 24-20 lead. The Greyhounds would fight back, scoring the next four points to even the set at 24-24. With momentum on the side of the visiting team, Ginny Frederick turned the tide with a kill on a dump to give KSU another set point opportunity. This time, the Owls would convert as an attack by the Greyhounds landed off the court to give KSU the set.
The final set was much like the third set, as the Owls scored a pair of points thanks to an LU attack error and a block by Paris Leonce and Callie Churchwell to get to match point at 24-22. The Greyhounds fought off the first set point, but Gulley's final attack bounced off the Loyola block and into the referee's stand, touching off a celebration as the Owls won the final set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
Gulley's 16 kills tied for the most in KSU brief history in a four-set match. Kostic had 11 kills for KSU, while freshman setter Rachael Albright recorded her first double-double with the Owls in an 18 assist/12 digs performance.
A pair of Greyhounds had double-doubles as Nicole Schimeme had 10 kills and 13 digs while Nina Camaioni had 11 kills and 12 digs. Loyola out-blocked the Owls 5.0-4.0, but KSU had 10 aces and 63 digs, compared to six aces and 53 digs for the Greyhounds.
In the opening match of the Owls Challenge, Butler used a double-double performance by Jessica Wolfe to earn a 3-1 win over Austin Peay State. Wolfe had a match-best 16 kills, topping APSU's Kirstin Distler who had 15.
Play will continue tomorrow afternoon at the Owls Challenge as Butler will face Loyola at 10:00 a.m. and the host Owls will battle APSU at 12:00 p.m. After a break, Loyola and APSU will square off at 5:00 p.m., with KSU and Butler rounding out the tournament 40 minutes after the conclusion of the Loyola/APSU match.
