KENNESAW, Ga. – Another slow start on a Friday night almost did Kennesaw State Volleyball in, but the Owls recovered for a 2-1 edge and then showed up big in the deciding fifth set to record its fourth straight victory, 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 15-9) over Delaware in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on Friday night in Conference USA play from VyStar Arena. The win kept KSU in a tie for third place in CUSA at 7-2, and moved its overall record to 13-6.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls' attack was too much for Delaware, as KSU finished with 20 more kills, 75-55 The 75 were also a season-high as well as the fifth-most ever in a game in program history.
OWL OF THE GAME: Senior outside hitter
Manu Johnsen was on fire, finishing with a season-high 24 kills while hitting .413 (24K-5E-46TA). She also added three aces, two blocks, as well as 13 digs to record a double-double. Her 24 kills tied for the ninth-most ever in a game by an Owl in school history.
THE RUNDOWN – KSU jumped out to an early 7-2 edge in the opening set, and were up 9-4 when the Blue Hens started to make a run. Errors from the home team aided Delaware's rally, as it tied the score at 10-10. The set would be tied a total of nine times, the last at 24-24 when the Owls scored twice to stay alive in the set. A service error and a kill from the Hens would give them the set and a 1-0 edge. Set two saw the Owls lead for the majority of the way as they went up 7-1. A 7-0 run would put the Hens up 10-8 though, and they would lead 18-15 before the Owls changed the momentum of the night with a 7-1 burst of its own to go up 22-19. A kill from Johnsen would seal the set and tie the match at 1-1.
Set three meanwhile was in control of the Owls the entire way in an eventual six-point win that put KSU up 2-1. It was the opposite in the fourth, with Delaware leading the entire way and going up 18-11 at one point, before a big Owl rally brought them all the way to 24-22 before eventually falling 25-22.
Going to a deciding fifth set, the Owls were not going to wait to take control. With the score tied at 2-2, a kill from Johnsen followed by an ace from her started a 3-0 run. After two points from Delaware, the Owls scored six of the next seven points to go up 11-6 and they finished off the set for their second fifth-set win in conference play this season.
POSTGAME QUOTES
KSU HEAD COACH KEITH SCHUNZEL
"Proud of the fight in our team tonight. We had plenty of ups and downs but we kept playing and competing hard through it. Delaware challenges you in some difficult and different ways. Certainly with their physicality on their block and attack, but also with a variety of different swings and tips coming at you. We handled some of that small ball stuff better as the match went on. I thought we played two really nice clean sets in 3 and 5 and put ourselves in a great position to win the match."
NOTES
-The Owls, one of the top serving teams in the nation, finished with nine aces while the Hens recorded just two on the night.
-Sophomore
Kiernan Stamey had a strong night with 16 kills while
Olivia Burrage added 12.
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Kourtney Brown posted a double-double with 19 assists and 15 digs.
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Kaeley Walz paced KSU with 41 assists, while
Leah Freeman's 17 digs were a team-high.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls close out their four-game homestand with another game against the Blue Hens, a Saturday, 1 p.m. contest in VyStar Arena that will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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