By: By Brandon Scardigli
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KENNESAW, Ga. – After a five set win over Stetson on Friday night, the Kennesaw State volleyball team made it two in a row as the Owls took down Florida Gulf Coast in straight sets, 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-23) on Saturday afternoon.
The Owls move to 10-12 on the year and 5-7 in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings with the victory and now hold an impressive 8-2 record at the KSU Convocation Center.
"One thing we talked about was the opportunity we felt like we were going to have today being on our home court," said Kennesaw State head coach
Keith Schunzel. "We really felt like we were going to have good things happen if we played at the high level we were capable of. We were in the rhythm all day and it was a fun match to be a part of."
Freshman
Kelly Marcinek took control of the offense as the first-year player knocked 18 kills with a .654 attack percentage, one of three players for the Owls to finish up in double-figure kills along with
Toure Hopkins and
Emily Bean.
The Owls won an extended opening set to start things off, 27-25, led by six kills each from Hopkins and Marcinek. KSU started off by going up 10-5 over Florida Gulf Coast (11-13, 7-4 A-Sun) after a kill from
Cierra Royster. The Eagles fought back to tie things up at 24-24 before the Owls scored the last two points on a pair of kills from the senior Bean.
KSU never trailed in the second set, but never led by more than three at 16-13. FGCU managed to tie things up twice late at 20-20 and again at 21-21 before an attack error put KSU back on top. The Owls then scored three of the last four points on two attack errors and a kill from Bean that again ended things for KSU, 25-22.
In the match clincher it was again Bean who ended things with a kill at 25-23 after what was one of the closest sets of the afternoon. With things all knotted at 23 it was back-to-back kills from the senior that gave the Owls their second win in a row after a set that saw nine ties and a pair of lead changes.
As a team, the Owls hit .358 with setter
Sara Metroka adding in 49 assists.
On the defensive end it was Bean and
Megan McGuinness who each put up a pair of blocks to lead the Owls.
The Owls will look to make it three in a row this Tuesday, Oct. 29 as they head to East Tennessee State for a 6 p.m. ET match.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State volleyball news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsVB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
Fans are reminded that tickets to all 2013 home volleyball contests are free throughout the year.
-#GoKSUOwls-
