Mississippi State
5-10
Pacific
11-2
MSU Volleyball Drops Bulldog Invitational Finale To Pacific
September 21, 2014 | Volleyball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – In the final non-conference match of the season, the Mississippi State volleyball Bulldogs (5-10) dropped a 3-0 decision to the Pacific Tigers to close out the 2014 Bulldog Invitational on Saturday.
State was unable to find its rhythm for the night, as Pacific came out firing in the match. The Tigers took the first set, 25-13, using a balanced offensive attack to take a 1-0 lead. Pacific jumped out early on the Bulldogs again in the second set, but State mounted a small rally to draw within four near the end. A 6-0 run, which was maintained by the service game of Amber Gass, cut the Pacific lead to 24-20 before the Tigers sealed the second set on a kill.
The visitors sealed the match in the third, dominating from start to finish to take the final frame, 25-11, and the set, 3-0.
Alex Warren led State with nine kills on the night, while also pacing the Bulldogs with two total blocks. Shelby Anderton turned in 13 assists and freshman Payton Harris totaled 16 digs on the night.
The Tigers claimed the title for the Bulldog Invitational, going undefeated for the weekend, while North Dakota finished second. Representing the Bulldogs on the 2014 Bulldog Invitational All-Tournament Team is Harris, who continues to turn in impressive dig numbers with each match. Halee Clark of Mississippi Valley State, Kristen Torre of SIU-Edwardsville, Anna Pioske and Nikki Husfeldt of North Dakota and Gillion Howard and Anne-Sophie Bauer of Pacific were also named to the all-tournament team. Pacific's Kat Schulz was named the MVP of the weekend.
MSU will return to action on Friday, Sept. 26, as it opens conference play on the road. The Bulldogs will travel to Missouri on Friday, with the match starting at 6:30 p.m. CT. State will close out the opening weekend at Arkansas with a 1:30 p.m. match.
For more information and updates on Mississippi State volleyball, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateVB.
