Southern Miss
Chattanooga
Volleyball Wins Season Opener with 3-0 Sweep of Chattanooga
8/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 26, 2011
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HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss volleyball team captured a three-game win over Chattanooga (25-23, 25-21, 25-22) Friday night in Reed Green Coliseum in the season opener.
"I was pleased with the win," coach Abbey Sutherland said. "I believe Chattanooga came to play and was a great first match for us because they really challenged us. At times they made us earn the point instead of making errors."
Junior outside hitter Halie Ecker (Moline, Ill.) led all players with 19 kills and 16 digs as freshman middle hitter Jasmine Crowell (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) added 10. Neither team had a particularly good attack percentage, but the Golden Eagles managed to out hit the Lady Mocs .187 to .137.
Junior setter Kelsea Seymour (Long Beach, Calif.) dished out 40 assists as while senior libero Lisa Knecht (Metairie, La.) finished with 15 digs. Junior utility Elizabeth Rinaudo (Mandeville, La.) picked up 11 digs as did senior right side hitter Amelia Hendrickson (Belle Chasse, La.).
"Halie Ecker set the pace for us," Sutherland said. "She led the team in kills and digs and sometimes that's hard to do. Her shot selection and aggressive mentality got us out of tight situations. She was just the star."
The first game remained close early before Southern Miss reeled off four straight points highlighted by Lauren Sears' two aces in helping the Golden Eagles take a 7-4 lead. Southern Miss was able to maintain a small lead until Chattanooga roared back to tie the set at 21-21, forcing the Eagles to take a time out. After the timeout, the teams traded points until Southern Miss got a kill from Hendrickson and took advantage of a UTC attack error for the 24-22 lead. Ecker then hit a ball out of bounds, but came right back to end the set with a kill and the 25-23 win.
Two kills and two blocks by the Golden Eagles put Southern Miss up 11-8 in the second set. UTC came right back to tie the set at 11-11 on a Christina Teter kill and back-to-back USM attack errors. From there, the two teams battled back and forth until Hendrickson and Crowell put down kills in taking a 17-14 lead. Chattanooga kept the set close, taking advantage of a solid service game and Eagle errors. Southern Miss was able to hold off the Lady Mocs and take the set, 25-21.
The third set began with three ties before Southern Miss rattled off four straight points for the 8-4 lead. From there, the teams played evenly until Ecker recorded three kills for Southern Miss in pushing the lead to 13-9. Southern Miss led by as many as four points, 18-14, before UTC called a timeout and rallied to get within 20-19. After a Southern Miss timeout, the Golden Eagles kept their lead and finished the set using some tough defense in taking the 25-22 win.
Heather Parman led the Mocs with 12 kills while Paula Passmore and Kasey Talley collected 15 and 13 digs, respectively.
The Southern Miss Invitational continues Saturday with Southern Miss taking on Northwestern State at 12 p.m., followed by Chattanooga and Jackson State at 3 p.m., and the tournament concludes with Southern Miss and Jackson State at 7 p.m.
In earlier action, Chattanooga knocked off Northwestern State, 3-1, to open the tournament. Northwestern State then defeated Jackson State, 3-1, in the middle match.
