By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Holly Knight scored 10.5 points for the Owls as the Kennesaw State volleyball team swept Troy, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-21) on Saturday afternoon at the 2010 Owls Invitational at the KSU Convocation Center.
"We responded well after our challenges from last night," said KSU head coach Karen Wewatherington. "We had a very balanced effort offensively and played very scrappy defense along the back row to keep plays alive and eventually take the match."
The Trojans (5-9) scored the first two points of the match, but the Owls would force the first and only lead change of the match a few points later as KSU went on a 7-0 run, mostly on Knight's serve, to take a 9-3 lead. Troy would climb within two, 14-12, but the Owls used another four-ponit spurt to build the lead back up. An attack error by Troy sparked the run, with kills by Grace Hoyt and Sabrita Gulley adding fuel to the fire. The run was capped with an ace by Sara Metroka.
Troy would continue to apply pressure, pulling within two at 21-19. Again, the Owls went on a four-point spurt, this time ending the set. A service error gave the Owls back the serve, and a block by Strachan and Gulley pulled the Owls to within two points of the set. A kill off a Metroka dump gave the Owls set point, and KSU's front line ended the set with another block by Gulley and Strachan.
The Owls sprinted out to a 12-5 lead in the second set and never looked back en route to a 25-14 win. The Owls only had eight kills in the set, but the Trojans committed 11 attack errors and hit -.103 for the set. KSU recorded three of its eight kills over the final three points as Gulley, Hoyt, and Knight all converted attacks to give the Owls the set.
In the final set, the Owls scored the first four points and never led by fewer than two the rest of the way. A Knight kill gave KSU six match point opportunities at 24-18. Troy fought off the first three, but a Strachan kill closed out the Trojans, 25-21.
While no attacker reached double-digits in kills for the Owls, the balance proved to be one of the keys to the match. Five players had at least five kills, led by Gulley's eight. Knight, Hoyt, and Strachan each recorded six, while Emily Bean had a season-high five. Camille Pedraza had 10 digs for KSU, while Metroka just missed a double-double with 26 assists and nine digs.
Troy was led by Vicky Rogoschewsky's eight kills. Courtney Cohen's 11 digs were a match-high for either side.
The Owls will face No. 25 Ohio State in the finale of the Owls Invitational at 7 p.m. Saturday night. Troy will face Presbyterian at 5 p.m.
