By: by KSU Sports Information
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KENNESAW, Ga. - Justine Young set a new program record with 28 kills and Alyssa Lang continued her tear with 19 kills and 19 digs as the Kennesaw State volleyball team defeated an upstart USC Upstate squad, 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 26-24, 25-21), to clinch a berth into the Atlantic Sun Conference championships.
"We knew that Upstate would come out ready to play and we would need some players to step up," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "Justine and Alyssa were both really on a roll for us offensively. Our block stepped up for us in the fourth set, and Sara Metroka just keeps doing a great job of running our offense. We're happy to be back in the A-Sun Tournament for our third straight year, but we have to keep working to make sure we're ready when the time comes to play in it."
The Owls (12-13, 7-3) trailed, 10-7, in the first set, but a 7-0 run staked KSU to a lead it would not give up. Young had three of her nine first-set kills during the run as KSU rode the shoulder of the senior from Sacramento, Calif. After Upstate (7-18, 2-8) fought off the first set point, Emily Bean connected on a kill to give the Owls the opening frame, 25-19.
The second set featured eight ties and four lead changes. Every player on the active roster saw time in set two, as the Owls looked for a spark to lift them to a two-set lead. It seemed to work, as the Spartans trailed late, 22-20. However, Upstate scored three straight points to take a late lead. Chadé Martin pushed home a kill, but a KSU attack error gave the Spartans set point, 24-23. Young kept the Owls in the set with a kill, but back-to-back kills by the visitors gave Upstate the set win, 26-24.
KSU never trailed in the third set, but saw a late four-point advantage slip away. A kill by Baylee Strachan gave the Owls four set point tries, 24-20, but the Spartans would be able to fight off all four chances. That's when the Owls relied on their senior captain. Lang gave the Owls a set point chance again with her seventh kill of the set. The Richmond, Va., native came through again one point later, putting an attack down to the floor off the Upstate block to give the Owls a, 26-24, win and a, 2-1, lead in the best-of-five.
In the final set, Bean and Martin decided to team up to throw a block party at Upstate's expense. Bean set a new KSU record with six total blocks in the set, while Martin followed close behind with five. Young and Lang each had five kills in the set, as KSU led at one point by as many as seven. Ahead 22-18, Bean and Martin combined for a block to pull KSU within two of the match. After a service error, it was the "Bean and Martin Show" again as the duo put KSU on the edge of glory with another block. Upstate fought off two match points, but Lang's 19th and final kill of the day gave the Owls the victory, 25-21, and a spot in the A-Sun Championships.
Metroka had 53 assists in guiding the Owls' attack. Still averaging better than 10 assists per set, Metroka now needs 17 assists to tie her own school record for assists in a season. Further, the sophomore needs just 38 assists for 1,000 in a season and 59 assists for 2,000 in a career.
Strachan joined Young and Lang in double-figures in kills with 10. Upstate was led by Morgan Thomas' 19 kills and Emily Bingham's 14.
The Owls will return to action this Friday at 8 p.m. against A-Sun foe Lipscomb in Nashville.
Notes: Lang and Bean each went over 200 points scored in a season...Lang now has 501 kills and 518 digs in a KSU uniform...While Camille Pedraza's 318 digs lead the KSU squad, Lang's 3.46 digs per set average is tops on the team...Bean, Metroka and Pedraza are now the only Owls to play in every set this season.
