By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
NORMAL, Ala. - A trio of Owls had double-figures in kills as the Kennesaw State volleyball team fought off a challenge from Alabama A&M, 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 29-27) on Saturday night in non-conference action. Sabrita Gulley led all Owls in kills with 15 while Turea Jones had 19 digs.
"We knew this would be a battle, but I am happy with how the team responded to adversity," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "Alabama A&M is a team that's reached the NCAA Tournament nine times in the last 10 years. They know how to win and they know how to defend their home court. To come out of here with a win will help us greatly through the rest of conference play"
The Owls (13-9) were locked in a 13-13 tie in the first set until a 4-0 run, fed by a Grace Hoyt service ace, a Baylee Strachan block, and an Alyssa Lang kill, gave KSU a, 17-13, lead. From there, the Owls would not be challenged again, stretching the lead up to eight, 24-16, off a Hoyt kill, then finishing the set two points later on another Hoyt swing.
The second set was a battle featuring 12 ties and four lead changes. KSU trailed, 21-19, before consecutive kills by Holly Knight and Gulley knotted the set back up. The teams traded points until a block by Lang and Knight broke the string and gave KSU a, 24-23, lead. A&M (8-10) fought off the first set point to tie the set, 24-24, but then Knight took over. The captain fired home a kill off a slide to give KSU another set point, 25-24. Knight then stepped back to the service line and fired home an ace, giving KSU the set, 26-24.
The finale would prove to be the longest set the Owls have played so far this season. The Owls led 20-14 before a 6-0 run, helped in part by a replay on a kill by Knight that was taken off the board because the line judge cowered from the ball, enabled A&M to tie the set, 20-20. The teams would trade the next eight points until a kill by the Bulldogs gave A&M set point, 25-24.
On perhaps the biggest play of the match, a serve reception by KSU was going over the net, but setter Sara Metroka won a jump ball for the Owls, putting the ball down on the other side of the court to tie the set, 25-25. A kill by Gulley gave the Owls set point, 26-25, but A&M fought it off. A Knight kill was answered by A&M, knotting the score for the 25th and final time in the match, 27-27.
This time, the Owls would close out the Bulldogs. A kill by Gulley gave KSU another match point, 28-27. On the fourth match point of the night for KSU, an A&M attack error gave KSU the match, 29-27.
Gulley's 15 kills in the win give the senior 36 on the season against Alabama A&M. Alyssa Lang had 14 kills, while Knight had a career-high 10 kills. For Jones, her 19 digs marked her second-highest total of the season behind her 21 in the season opener.
The Owls will be back in action Friday night in Buies Creek, N.C., against Campbell in Atlantic Sun Conference action. Match time will be set at 7 p.m., with live audio available for free on KSUOwls.com,
