Mississippi State
Stephen F. Austin
Dogs Drop Pair In Missouri State Tourney
September 04, 2009 | Volleyball
- Official Statistics (vs. Stephen F. Austin)
- Official Statistics (vs. Stephen F. Austin) (PDF)
- Official Statistics (vs. UC-Davis)
- Official Statistics (vs. UC-Davis) (PDF)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Amber Williams-Roberts and Melissa Miksch combined for 25 kills and 34 digs Friday morning as Stephen F. Austin (4-2) handed Mississippi State (1-3) a 3-1 loss in the opening round of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Missouri State. State claimed the opening set 25-22, but the Ladyjacks rebounded for 25-15, 25-14, 25-21 wins in the next three sets to claim the match.
In the nightcap, first-time opponent UC-Davis (3-2) hit .294 for the match and blanked the Bulldogs 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-18).
State (1-4) continues play in the Missouri State tournament Saturday, meeting the host Bears at 12:30 p.m. before taking on Memphis at 5 p.m. at the Hammons Student Center.
"There's a difference between wanting it and making it happen," said first-year head coach Jenny Hazelwood. "This team has talent and wants to win... it has to learn to find a way to win."
The Bulldogs trailed only briefly in winning their opening set in the tournament, as freshman Chanelle Baker tallied five kills and junior Ashley Newsome added three more. State hit a match-best .263, but a knee injury late in the opening stanza cost the Bulldogs the services of sophomore middle blocker Mandy Mellencamp, and the Ladyjacks roared back to claim the match.
Stephen F. Austin raced to a 6-1 edge and hit at a .324 clip en route to a 25-5 decision in the second set. The Ladyjacks pulled away from a 12-12 battle to claim set three 25-14, and with the Bulldogs threatening to sent the match to a deciding fifth set, SFA out-pointed State 8-1 down the stretch for a 25-21 match-clincher in set four.
Newsome led State with 10 kills and six blocks, while Baker tallied eight kills and three blocks and libero Kayla Woodard finished with 18 digs.
"We have a team with a lot of young players, and they have to learn to battle through adversity," said first-year Bulldog coach Jenny Hazelwood. "We won't know for a while the extent of Mandy's injury, but we know she won't be on the court the rest of the weekend."
Williams-Roberts had 14 kills and 12 digs, Miksch added 11 kills and 23 digs, and Ashley Bailey finished with eight kills and eight blocks.
The match saw the career debut of redshirt freshman Hilary Hunt, who played in one set and notched her first career kill.
State had 31 attack errors and finished with a season-low .029 hitting percentage.
Ioana Demian and Ashley Newsome paced State against the UC-Davis Aggies, registering eight kills and four blocks each. Freshman setter Hillary parker, in her first career start, recorded a double-double with 18 assists and 17 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Kellye Jordan drew a start in her season debut, registering a pair of kills , a dig and a block assist in one set of competition.
UC-Davis got 13 kills from Kayla Varney and 10 more from Tori Hooper.
