VOLLEYBALL BOUNCES BACK WITH 3-1 VICTORY OVER MURRAY STATE
8/27/2011
Sophomore Kayla Beal led all players with 16 kills in the Hornets' 3-1 victory over Murray State
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Kayla Beal posted a match-high 16 kills while Kelsey Elston and Eryn Kirby each had 11 kills to lead Sacramento State to a 3-1 victory (25-20, 23-25, 25-17, 25-11) over Murray State in the second round of the Belmont Volleyball Invitational Saturday morning at the Curb Event Center.
The Hornets (1-1), who opened the season and tournament yesterday with a loss to Western Kentucky, return to action later this evening to face host Belmont at 4 p.m. PDT. With the loss, Murray State, which lost to Belmont yesterday, dropped to 0-2 on the young season.
Beal’s 16 kills accompanied a .405 hitting percentage as the sophomore rightside hitter had just one error in 37 attacks (three attacks shy of her career high).The Dixon, Calif., native also had six digs and match-high four blocks, one shy of her career high in both categories. Elston had 11 kills and a match-best .409 hitting percentage, and Kirby bounced back after a rough first set to record her 38th career match with double figures in kills.
Including Janelle Currey’s eight kills, the quartet of Beal, Elston, Kirby and Currey combined for 46 of the Hornets’ 53 kills. Sacramento State posted nine more kills than Murray State (53-44) while also limiting the Racers to just a .124 hitting percentage. The Hornets tallied 92 digs with four players recording double figures comprised of Currey (22), Sydney Kordic (14), setter Katie Aprile (career-high 16) and Kirby (13). Kordic played the final two sets at libero after Breanne Menees played the first two sets at the position. The double-doubles for Currey and Kirby were the first of the season for both players.
After toying with a couple lineup options yesterday, head coach Ruben Volta went back to the modified 5-1 offense the team employed last season as Aprile, Anna Schoener and Hannah Hettinga all appeared at setter today. Schoener was the only setter to play in all four sets and led the team with 19 assists.
