By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Sabrita Gulley had 19 kills while Baylee Strachan had 10 kills and a .600 attack percentage as the Kennesaw State volleyball team defeated Wofford, 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-11), on Saturday afternoon in KSU's finale of the Runnin' Bulldog Classic on the campus of Gardner-Webb.
Both Gulley and Strachan earned all-tournament honors. Gulley, who tied Alyssa Lang's school record for kills in a three-set match, only had three kills at the end of the first set. The senior took over the final two sets, recording 16 kills with just one error. Including the match with Gardner-Webb earlier in the day, Strachan finished with 18 kills and one error for a .654 attack percentage.
The Owls fought hard against the Terriers in the first set in order to take the win. With KSU ahead 23-21, a kill by Grace Hoyt gave the Owls set point. One try would be all KSU needed, as a block solo by Strachan gave the Owls the set, 25-21.
In set two, the Owls led 12-10 until a 6-1 run put the set out of reach. Kills by Lang and Strachan coupled with a Katie Winschel service ace gave the Owls the first three points of the run. After a Wofford kill, kills by Strachan and Gulley and a Wofford attack error completed the 6-1 spurt. Leading 22-15, a Gulley kill, a Wofford attack error, and a service ace by Turea Jones gave KSU set two, 25-15.
In the finale, the Owls broke the set open with a 7-0 run off the serve of Lang. From there, the Owls kept firing on all cylinders. Needing two points for the match, kills by Strachan and Lang would give KSU the win, as the Owls took the last set, 25-11.
Freshman setter Sara Metroka had 43 assists for the match, one off the KSU record for assists in a three-set contest. "Sara has done an outstanding job coming in and running our offense," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "She had great preparation from her time at New Castle High and her time playing club volleyball in Muncie. She knows exactly what needs to be done to make our offense run, and today she ran our offense almost to perfection."
The Owls (4-6) will finally open home play Friday when they face Presbyterian open the 2010 Owls Invitational. First serve is slated for Friday morning at 10 a.m.
