Volleyball Starts Season on High Note
Aug 31, 2018
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Dubuque volleyball team wrapped up the first day of the 2018 season, going 2-0 at the Rhodes College Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee on Friday afternoon.
Game One Box Score
Dubuque, Univ. of (3) 21 19 25 25 15
Sewanee (2) 25 25 15 19 12
The Spartans came out of the gates with a quick start in the first set of the opening match but ultimately dropped the first set and Sewanee carried the momentum over to the second set to go ahead 2-0 in the match. Just like the first set, UD jumped out to an early lead in set three at 5-0, but this time never relinquished that lead to force a fourth set. With the score all knotted up at 14 in the fourth and facing defeat, the Spartans scored 11 of the next 16 points to send the game to a deciding fifth set. Trailing much of the fifth set, UD took the lead at 10-9 on a kill by Kate Messino. After trading the next few points and even at 11-11, the Spartans tallied off four of the next five points to complete the comeback and win the match 3-2. Kara Wright and Sarrah Farraday powered the offense with 24 of UD’s 49 kills. Jenna Runde held down the defense with 24 digs, while also dishing out six assists. In the first two the Spartans hitting percentages were .059 and .115. To spark the comeback they hit .175, .250 and .316 in the final three sets.
Game Two Box Score
Dubuque, Univ. of (3) 25 30 25 25
Rhodes College (1) 14 28 23 12
UD picked up right where they left off in their previous match, cruising to a 25-14 first set victory and a lengthy 30-28 second set. The Spartans were on the verge of a sweep, leading 21-17 in the third set but Rhodes found their rhythm and went on a late run to take the set 25-23. After letting set three slip away, the Spartans did not mess around in the fourth set, cruising to a 25-12 set and match win. The Spartans dominated in almost every category with 54-33 kills, 52-31 assists, 8-3 in aces and 11-6 in blocks. As a team UD held Rhodes to a 0.026 hitting percentage, while hitting 0.145 on themselves. Five difference Spartans had at least six kills in the second match of the day, led by Kara Wright with 20. Bre Cullen was second with nine, Sarrah Farraday was next with eight, Rylee Andresen and Shauna McAleer had six.
Noteables
-All four games for UD on the weekend are first time match-ups between the programs.
The Spartans wrap up the Rhodes College Invitational on Saturday on they take on Brevard College at 10 a.m. and Birmingham-Southern College at 2:00 p.m.
