By: by KSU Sports Information
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Justine Young had 19 kills and Camille Pedraza had 27 digs as Kennesaw State's volleyball team clinched the No. 4 seed in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships with a, 3-1 (25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 25-22), victory over in-state rival Mercer at the KSU Convocation Center.
"I am so pleased we had a great effort to send our seniors out in style," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "The task is not done though. We have to have an even greater effort next weekend if we expect to win the conference championship."
Senior Alyssa Lang had 10 kills and 14 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. Setter Sara Metroka also netted a double-double with 38 assists and 10 digs.
The Owls (13-15, 8-5) dropped the first point of the match but quickly scored the next five to take a lead in the first set it would not relinquish. Ahead 22-15, kills by Young and Emily Bean and a Mercer attack error gave the Owls the opening set, 25-15.
Mercer (12-19, 4-9) would respond in set two, taking a late, 21-16, lead. After a KSU timeout, the Owls scored the next four points to cut the gap to one. Kills by Bean, Lang, and Holly Knight preceeded a Metroka service ace to make the score 21-20. That would prove to be as close as KSU would get in the set, as the Bears scored the next four points to take the frame.
The Owls scored nine of the first 11 points of set three to take the lead, then found themselves holding on for dear life at the end. Mercer whittled the lead down to two, 13-11, but a four-point spurt by the Owls stretched the lead back to six. The run started on Young's 14th kill of the match, which would be her 400th of the season. The senior became the first KSU player to reach that plateau.
With KSU up 21-16, the Bears scored the next four points to cut the lead down to one. Baylee Strachan came through with a clutch kill to push the advantage back up to two. Knight followed with another kill, and Mercer was forced into a timeout down by three.
Mercer won the timeout, but a Knight kill gave KSU three cracks at set point. The first two went awry, but Knight dropped a kill on a Mercer over ball down to the floor to give KSU the victory, 25-23.
With the fourth set tied 6-all, the Owls scored five straight points to take the lead. Mercer would get as close as one point on two occasions thereafter, but KSU would maintain the lead throughout. Knight's 10th and final kill of the afternoon gave KSU match point, 24-21. Mercer fought off the first one, but not the second as Young dropped her 19th kill of the afternoon down to the floor to give the Owls the victory.
Pedraza's 27 digs were just one off her career-high and school record total of 28 set earlier this year in five sets against Georgia State. The sophomore took over the team lead in digs per set at 3.50 with the effort.
Metroka added two kills to her stat sheet and attacked at a .286 clip. She is the only Kennesaw State player to not hit at a negative attack percentage in any match this season.
Amiee Frutchey led Mercer with 13 kills and 22 digs. Jamie Duffy also had a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs.
The Owls will now travel to Nashville, Tenn., for the A-Sun Championships next Thursday-Saturday. KSU will face East Tennessee State on the campus of Lipscomb at 7:30 p.m. CST.
