Mississippi State
5-16, 0-6
Ole Miss
16-3, 2-3
Bulldog Volleyball Falls In Sunday Afternoon Clash At Ole Miss
October 12, 2014 | Volleyball
OXFORD, Miss. – Even though several Bulldogs put up impressive performances, the Mississippi State volleyball Bulldogs (5-16, 0-6 SEC) fell in a 3-0 decision to the Ole Miss Rebels (16-3, 2-3 SEC) Sunday afternoon in Oxford.
The Maroon and White earned several notable performances for the match, including a career-high 12 kills from freshman Tyra Long, which tied Chelsea Duhs for the team high. Shelby Anderton also turned in a new high, earning 31 assists for the match, the most this season for the junior setter.
The first set was a back-and-forth affair, as both sides traded time in the lead. Neither squad would gain more than a three-point advantage in the set. Down 20-19 and looking to tie it up once more, the Bulldogs were met by a furious Rebel attack, highlighted by five kills. Ole Miss would keep MSU at bay, taking the opening frame, 25-22.
Sunday's second set started out in favor of the home squad, as the Rebels jumped ahead 3-0 before Duhs finally put State on the board with one of her 12 kills on the day. State would cut it to as close as two in the early stages of the set before Ole Miss pulled away to go up by as much as seven. A late 3-0 Bulldog run would cut the UM lead to three, but the Rebels struck back to take the set, 25-19.
The final frame was an easier task to handle for the Rebels. The Bulldogs kept play close early on, but fell victim to a number of runs from UM. Ole Miss would keep MSU at bay, going on to take the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-0.
Also headlining the stat sheet for the Bulldogs was freshman libero Payton Harris, who earned 20 digs on the day. That gives Harris at least 20 digs in 14 of MSU's 21 matches. The total also moves Harris into sixth place in the MSU record book for digs in a season. Her 506 total is one away from tying Kayla Woodard's 507 from 2010 and two away from tying fourth-place Misty Farmer, who earned 508 in 1995.
Leading the way for Ole Miss was Melanie Crow, who earned 17 kills. Nakeyta Clair also turned in double-digit kills with 10. Aubrey Edie led all players with 41 assists.
State returns to action this weekend, as it hosts Tennessee and Missouri at the Newell-Grissom Building. MSU takes on UT on Friday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs will close the weekend by hosting Missouri at 1 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 19, on the SEC Network.
For more information and updates on Mississippi State volleyball, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateVB.
