Aug. 30, 2008

Chattanooga-Marquette Photo Gallery

Chattanooga-Marquette Box Score

Tennessee-Marquette Box Score

MILWAUKEE --The Marquette women's volleyball team, fresh off a three-set victory over Chattanooga (25-11, 25-12, 25-17) in the morning session of the Marquettte Kickoff Tournament, dropped a match to the Tennessee Lady Vols in the nightcap, 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21).

"The upperclassmen really held it together this afternoon and we had two solid games," said head volleyball coach Pati Rolf. Marquette got off to a fast start in the first set against the Vols, taking a 4-1 lead on a kill by senior Ashlee Fisher. After dominating the Mocs this afternoon, the Golden Eagles struggled to continue that momentum and consistency in the first frame against Tennessee. With the score at 9-8 in Tennessee's favor, the Vols went on a 16-6 run to close out the first set.

In the second set the Marquette squad the crowd had seen in the earlier match returned to take the set by the score of 25-22. Fisher accounted for four kills in the stanza while freshman Laira Akin had 6 assists for the Golden Eagles.

Marquette got off to a sluggish start after the break, falling behind the Lady Vols, 7-3 on an attack error by Fisher. After fighting back to cut the deficit to one at 11-10, the Golden Eagles could never get any closer in the third frame, dropping it 25-22.

The fourth and final set saw Marquette get off to a better start as the lead went back-and-forth throughout the stanza. After Marquette pulled within two on a kill by Fisher at 22-20, the Lady Vols pulled away and took the final points of the match, winning the set, 25-21.

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles against the Chattanooga Lady Mocs was Fisher with 18 kills, while setters Akin and Caryn Mastandrea contributed 12 and 14 assists, respectively. Fisher's zero errors in the match helped her post a 64.3 attack percentage, while Akin and Mastandrea spent time on the floor together as Rabbecka Gonyo was held out of action for the first two sets.

"Caryn really had a great game and moved the ball around well and Laira is starting to show that she is regaining full strength in her knee," said Rolf

In the first set against Chattanooga, with the score at 9-7 in Marquette's favor, ten straight points by the Golden Eagles effectively put the set and eventually the match out of reach. Starting the rally with a kill was Mastandrea who also pitched in two service aces and two assists during the run. Mastandrea closed out the scoring in the first set with a kill as well.

Continuing her solid play in the second set was freshman Amy Deelo, who recorded 13 kills and four assists as the libero. Deelo helped the Golden Eagles out to a 7-2 lead in the second set and Marquette never looked back, only allowing the Lady Mocs to score 12 points in the frame

With the Golden Eagles up two sets to none, Gonyo returned to the floor in the third and hammered home three kills on four attacks while Fisher's seven attacks netted six kills. Akin added nine assists in the frame.

Freshman Ciara Jones, who had 11 kills in last night's match against Houston sprained her ankle in practice this morning and sat out both matches on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles return to action next weekend at the UNI Invitational in Cedar Falls, Iowa when they play Clemson on Fri., Sept. 5 and Northern Illinois along with tournament-host Northern Iowa on Sept. 6.

All-Marquette Kickoff Tournament Team

Nikki Fowler (MVP)

Tennessee

Chloe Goldman

Tennessee

Milan Clarke

Tennessee

Kylie Marshall

Tennessee

Ingrida Zauere

Houston

Justine Farmer

Houston

Marquette Kickoff Tournament Results

August 29

Tennessee def. Chattanooga, 3-0 (25-13,25-14, 25-18)

Houston def. Marquette, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22)

August 30

Tennessee def. Houston, 3-2 (25-12, 25-19, 20-25, 19-25, 15-10)

Marquette def. Chattanooga, 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-17)

Houston def. Chattanooga, 3-1 (25-13, 23-25, 25-3, 25-17)

Tennessee def. Marquette, 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21)