Story by Logan Boger
Contributing Writer
Racer volleyball returned from the Troy Invitational with its first win of the season.
Game 1:
Murray State had its first game of the invitational Friday against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The Racers lost the first set against the Mocs but came back in the second and third sets.
The second set went back and forth between the teams until senior outside hitter Megan Lindsay put Murray State ahead 9-2 with a kill. This momentum continued for the Racers, who ended the set 25-18.
The Racers and the Mocs were tied at the beginning of the third set but Murray State was able to pull away and went on an 8-1 run, taking the match to a 20-11 lead for the Racers. After a service error and another kill by Lindsay, the Racers lost their run but kept the lead, winning the set 22-15 after a kill by senior outside hitter Rachel Giustino.
The fourth set started out with Murray State gaining a 6-2 lead. The Racers kept the lead with 11 kills, taking the set from Chattanooga and winning the match.
Game 2:
The Racers’ second game on Friday was against Jacksonville University. The first set went well for the Dolphins, but the Racers caught a lead toward the end of the set 20-19. However, after multiple kills from Jacksonville, the Racers lost the set 29-27.
The second set started off strong for Murray, with two kills from sophomore middle blocker Kolby McClelland sending them into a 5-0 run to take the lead 12-5. This pressure kept up and after a set-winning kill from Giustino, the Racers won the set 25-14.
Murray State kept up momentum against the Dolphins in the third set, winning it 25-22. The fourth set looked like it was going to be a win for the Racers, but Jacksonville went on a 10-0 run to take the set. Murray State was unable to catch up to their lead, resulting in the set going to Jacksonville.
The final set started out with a 4-1 Racer lead but was quickly followed up by the Dolphins taking the lead 11-10. Murray State was able to catch up after two kills from sophomore outside hitter Rachel Kinney. The Racers kept this lead winning the set and match 16-14.
Game 3:
Murray State’s final game of the invitational was on Saturday, Sept. 7, against Troy University and ended with Troy winning all 3 sets.
When asked about their performance this past week, Head Coach David Schwepker saw room for improvement.
“For this past weekend I think it was a much-improved Murray State volleyball team,” Schwepker said. “We fixed some things from the weekend before and implemented them and it was much more successful for us. I think our defense and passing greatly improved from the weekend before and I think what we really need to work on is our offense. The good thing is that we have the athletes that can improve in that area.”
Junior setter and outsider hitter Ashley McBee also saw great improvement from her team.
“Our performance this weekend improved a lot more than last week,” McBee said. “No one wants to start off the way we did and so going into this weekend we put emphasis on just playing one game at a time and playing together as a team. Everyone really stepped up and if one thing wasn’t working we were able to find something else that did.”
The Racers will play Sacramento State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13.
