By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Sabrita Gulley became the first Kennesaw State volleyball player to record 1,000 kills for her career as the Owls fell, 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-19) to Coastal Carolina Friday night in the fourth match of the 2010 Owls Invitational.
"It was a very special moment for Sabrita to get her 1,000th career kill," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "Unfortunately, we couldn't carry over the positive energy from that great moment. Coastal Carolina came out and played with determination throughout the match and we didn't match that determination."
The Owls (5-7) took the first set primarily thanks to the play of Gulley. The senior had six kills in the set to pace the Owls to a 25-21 win. Coastal Carolina (6-6) hit -.023 for the set while the Owls were slightly better at .098.
Set two proved to be different as the Chanticleers erased a 20-18 deficit and turned it into a 25-21 win. Coastal used a 6-0 run to earn set point, 24-20, before the Owls fought off the first set point try thanks to a Coastal attack error. However, a kill for Coastal Carolina gave the visitors the second set.
In the third frame, the Owls were tied with Coastal, 13-13, before a 4-0 spurt gave the visitors a lead. That quick run would be enough for Coastal to build on, as the lead built up to an eventual nine-point win, 25-16.
A cornucopia of substitutions kept the Owls close in the third set. KSU was twice within a pair of points late in the set, including at 21-19, but a 4-0 run by the Chanticleers gave the visitors the win, 25-19.
Gulley had 15 kills and 12 digs to record a double-double for the Owls. Grace Hoyt set a career-high in kills for the third consecutive match with 10, while Camille Pedraza had 18 digs for Kennesaw State.
Coastal Carolina, which had 82 digs on the night compared to 69 for the Owls, was led offensively by Chelsy Kimes with 16 kills. Lindsay Gill was one of five players for Coastal in double-figures in digs, leading the way with 17.
The Owls will return back to action Saturday at noon against Troy.
