University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Above the Net
9/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Above the Net
GAME 1
The Payne Center is packed, not an empty seat to be found. There are a lot of student-athletes here tonight, which is not a rare sight at any athletic competition at Southern Miss. First play of the match, a kill by right-side hitter, Amy Troung. Nicki Tribble is making her home debut as an outside hitter. She is adjusting smoothly to the change from the right side. Andrea Bush gets a kill down the line, giving the Lady Eagles the lead 7-3. The crowd loves when Bush hits! She is such an explosive player! Jazzmien Stephens gets her second kill of the game- the score is 10-5, Eagles still in the lead.
Let?s see if USM takes advantage of a service error by USA- they do. Troung makes an incredible jump serve, and Bridget Files dominates the net with a block. Great defense by Troung, perfect sets by Zane and a slide by Files is unstoppable. Another kill by Bush, score is 16-8. A time out is called by USA to try to reduce the service and hitting errors. USA gains momentum from a blocking error by Bush and then miscommunication between Bush and Tribble; however USM quickly gets control of the ball at 18-11. Bush entertains the crowd with her 30-something inch vertical and powerful arm swing.
Another time out by USA at 23-11. Troung and Zane are gelling quickly on the right side this year. Zane is putting the ball right where her hitters need it to be ... Another kill by Bush, the score is 25-15. Southern Miss can almost relax with a 10-point lead, but they still need to keep passing and swinging consistently. Files gets the ball back by putting down a one ball set by Zane. Final score is 30-22.
GAME 2
Brynn Olsson is playing libero this season; she was injured during preseason with a reoccurring hamstring strain. Stephens serves the first three points of game 2. Zane is mixing up her sets and deceiving USA. Troung gives Zane a solid option on the right side if there is any trouble. Zane and Files run a slide ... the score is 7-2 with the Eagles in the lead. Bush gets her first kill of the second game, the score is 8-3. Great set by Zane to Bush ... outcome: kill. Zane and Troung work their magic to make the score 11-7, after a tip right over USA?s block. 14-8 after an ace by Troung ... Files runs a quick slide behind Zane and the score is 16-10.
Seymour, the Southern Miss mascot, is harassing the ball girls and being his crazy self to make the fans laugh.
Zane gives Stephens a three-ball and she puts it away. Game 2 isn?t very exciting, there haven?t been any long rallies and there have been a lot of service errors and floor wipes. Files puts an overpass down to make the score, 27-16. Stephens gets a block for 29-18. Final 30-20.
GAME 3
Hopefully game three will be more exciting then game 2. Maybe the girls are nervous since it?s their first home game. Troung puts the ball down on the first play of the game, then gets an ace with her topspin jump serve. Tribble finds a hole in the block and puts the ball down. Olsson-Zane-Bush works every time. Perfect pass by Tribble to Zane and Stephens gets a kill from a middle one ball ... Bush blocks a right side hit by USA ... Files serve receives a pass to Zane and killed by Bush ... Kill by Tribble down the line 11-6.
The good thing about the Zane -Troung combo is that when Zane is in the back row playing defense, and she gets a great up, Troung is right there ready to set a quick to the middle and get a kill. USM has the lead at 16-11 after a kill by Bush, but USA is right behind, fighting for the lead. Stephens gives the USA libero a facial at 18-13 ... Three passing errors by USM gives USA the lead at 18-17. A service error by USA gives USM the ball.
With 10 points to go (20-18), USA calls a time out to regroup and try to find a way to win this match. Southern Miss is determined not to let this happen. The Eagles want the match to end without USA scoring again. Files puts a block down ... Zane ends a long rally by killing an overpass, 22-18. Files ends a long rally with a one-ball after giving the libero a pounding. Brynn Olsson, what a dig! ... 24-22 everyone is nervous. The game is very close and the momentum keeps shifting from team to team.
Tied at 26: Troung gets a kill down the line.
Tied at 27: Awesome up by Olsson and Zane, Tribble gets a kill.
Tied at 28: Late cross on defense between Tribble and Bush.
Tied at 29: Service error by USA.
Tied at 30: Another service error by USA!
Files gets an overpass kill. Tribble serving match point and a one-ball kill by Files to end the game 32-30.
Head Coach, Santiago Restrepo, announces a title for tonight?s match as ?The Twilight Zone?.
