University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
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SMU Outlasts Southern Miss In Volleyball, 3-2
10/3/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 3, 2010
DALLAS, Texas - Halie Ecker and Ashley Mell combined for 42 kills, but it wasn't enough as the Southern Miss volleyball team lost to SMU in five sets (25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 10-15).
Southern Miss dropped to 8-7 overall and 1-3 in league play while SMU improved to 12-3 and 4-0.
Southern Miss recorded more kills and digs than the Mustangs, but SMU recorded a team 14.0 blocks to offset the offensive attack by the Eagles. Ecker totaled 22 kills while Mell had 20 kills and Lauren Sears joined the duo in double digit kills with 12 kills and four blocks. Lisa Knecht recorded a career-high 35 digs, posting her second 30-plus performance this season. SMU was led by Dana Powell and Jessica Oliver's 16 kills apiece.
In the first set, even 17 kills Eagles was not enough for them to pull away from SMU as the Mustangs recorded 15 kills themselves. The entire set was very tight with neither team able to lead by more than four. After nine ties, the two teams were knotted at 25 before Courtney Manning and Powell took them to set point, 27-25.
The Eagles battled back in the second set behind the hot hand of Ecker, who had six kills. USM pulled out to a 4-2 lead in the early going but the Mustangs dug in and scraped together a 7-3 run that gave them the lead at 9-7. SMU eventually built a 13-10 lead before the Eagles battled back to tie the set at 15-15. SMU was able to maintain the team for much of the remainder of the set. Tied for the final time at 22, Southern Miss took the lead for good on two SMU errors and an Ecker kill to end the set at take the set 25-23.
After the intermission, Southern Miss used an 8-3 run for an 11-7 lead and kept the momentum going as the Eagles built a 20-12 lead. SMU battled back and cut the lead to 24-21, but the Eagles were able to hold on for the 25-21 win.
SMU forced a fifth set by building a 6-1 lead. Neither team hit well in the fourth set with SMU outhitting USM slightly, .080 to .071. Southern Miss chipped away at the lead and tied the set at 13-13. From there, the teams traded points until SMU scored three straight points to take a 22-19 lead. USM did not recover and fell 25-22 in the set.
In the deciding set, a four point run gave the Mustangs a 5-1 lead. The Eagles got within a point, 10-9, but SMU ended the set with a 5-1 run for the 15-10 win.
Southern Miss will hit the road for a two-match series at Houston, Oct. 9-10.
