By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. –
Rachael Albright,
Chelsey Denesha, and
Sabrita Gulley all recorded double-doubles as the Kennesaw State volleyball team (14-9) swept Chattanooga, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-22), in a non-conference match at Maclellan Gym.
“Our team is peaking at the right time,” said KSU head coach
Karen Weatherington. “I’m thrilled that we were able to get contributions from everyone on the roster and keep our positive momentum going into this weekend’s match with USC Upstate.”
Gulley joined teammate
Asjia Stokes as the first two members of KSU’s 300 club, earning her 303rd kill of the season. The two are the only players in KSU’s four-year history to earn 300 kills in a season.
“Sabrita has been consistently raising her game all season long. She keeps developing and improving her all-around abilities and is becoming a special player on the court.”
The Owls fell behind early in the opening set, as Chattanooga opened up a 10-5 lead. KSU trimmed the lead to two, 12-10, after a Gulley kill and a pair of Chattanooga errors. The Lady Mocs reopened a five- point lead, 16-11, and KSU asked for time.
Chattanooga extended the lead to six off the timeout, but a pair of blocks by the Owls brought KSU within four again, 17-13. Denesha earned a kill to pull the Owls within three, 17-14, and Chattanooga asked for its first timeout of the set.
The Owls won the timeout thanks to a Chattanooga hitting error, and a Denesha kill pushed the run to 5-0. Denesha notched her second straight kill, tying the set, 17-17. After the teams traded points, a Grace Hoyt kill gave KSU its first lead, 19-18. KSU stretched the lead to two off a
Callie Churchwell solo block, and the teams traded points. The Lady Mocs tied the set, 21-21, on a service ace, but the Owls regained the lead on a Gulley kill. An ace by #Selina O’Leary# restored KSU’s two-point lead, and a kill by Gulley gave KSU set point, 24-21. One try would be all KSU would need, as an illegal back-row attack gave the Owls the set, 25-21.
The Owls kept the momentum in the second set, opening up with a 6-1 run to take the early advantage. The Lady Mocs (11-13) crept back quickly, pulling within three, but the Owls surged forward as a Holly Knight kill gave the Owls an 11-4 lead. Chattanooga kept applying the pressure, going on a 4-1 run to close within four, 12-8, but an ace by Denesha stretched the advantage back to seven, 15-8.
The Owls kept surging ahead, eventually earning set point at 24-14. It would take five tries, but the Owls would finally earn the set, as Denesha put home her eighth kill of the match, giving the Owls a 25-18 win.
In the third set, Chattanooga took an early 8-5 lead before back-to-back
Maja Kostic kills stopped the Lady Mocs’ momentum for the moment. Kostic earned another kill after a KSU service error, then teamed with
Holly Knight for a block to tie the set, 9-9. An ace by Denesha gave the Owls a 10-9 lead, and the Lady Mocs asked for time.
Denesha fired her second straight ace off the timeout, pushing the KSU up to two, 11-9. The Lady Mocs came back with a kill, but kills by
Ginny Frederick and Knight pushed KSU’s lead to three, 13-10. A kill on an over pass by Gulley sent the advantage to four, 14-10, but the Lady Mocs responded with four straight points, tying the set, 14-14.
The teams traded points back-and-forth, with Chattanooga tying the score but the Owls regaining the one-pont lead. Finally, a block by the Lady Mocs gave the home team a 20-19 lead. KSU responded with a kill to tie the score, and after swapping points, the Owls regained the lead, 22-21, after a Lady Mocs hitting error. Chattanooga tied the score, but a Gulley kill put KSU back up, 23-22. A miscue by Chattanooga gave the Owls match point, 24-22. One attempt at victory was all the Owls would need as a kill by Gulley gave the Owls the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.
Notes: Grace Hoyt recorded a season-high three kills...Kostic had four kills in the third set with an attack percentage of .429...Frederick enters Friday's match needing six assists to record 1,500 for her career.
