The Murray State volleyball team started their 2024-25 season this weekend at the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Racers played against the Jackson State Tigers, the UT-Arlington Mavericks and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Game 1 vs Jackson State
The Racers began the first set of their season debut going kill for kill with the Jackson State University Tigers for the first 11 points. Murray State Junior Ella Vogel led the offensive effort with 12 kills. Although the Tigers maintained a lead for the entire set, the Racers closely followed within 5 points or less. Jackson State finalized the 25-21 set win with a kill from senior outside hitter Nyjha Marcelin.
As the game advanced to the second set, the Racers rallied from a 7-7 tie to a 20-7 lead served by libero Dahlia Miller. Miller served three aces, and senior setter Bailey DeMier boasted eight assists during the run. An assist from Miller to outside hitter Darci Metzger finalized the Racers’ 25-12 win.
Set three contained 10 ties and two lead changes, eventually leading to a 25-23 Jackson State set win. Eight of the Racers’ 23 points were captured by the veteran duo of Vogel and DeMier.
The fourth set proved the Racers were not backing down from the challenge, as they didn’t allow the Tigers to take more than a 5-point lead. DeMier continued to show out, as 11 of the Racers’ 23 points were the Murray State Senior’s assists. The Tigers would hold the Racers off, winning the set 25-23 and winning the match 3-1.
Game 2 vs UT-Arlington
The Racers had a quick turnaround from the loss to Jackson State before they played the UT-Arlington Mavericks.
While the team was able to pick up one set win in their first match, the Mavericks swept the Racers in straight sets. Murray State didn’t lose a set by more than six points against UT-Arlington, with the scores being 26-24, 25-22 and 25-19.
Vogel led the way in game two for the Racers with 12 kills and 7 digs, while Metzger put up 9 kills. Dahlia Miller tallied 16 digs in the match and Bailey DeMier had 25 assists.
Game 3 vs Louisiana
In the final contest of the weekend, the Racers played the host of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Murray State battled fiercely in the first set, but Louisiana would hang on to win the set 29-27. The Racers would go on to win the next two sets, 25-18 and 25-20 to take a 2-1 lead for the match.
Louisiana would hold off a rally by Murray State to win the fourth set 25-18, setting up a game deciding fifth set.
In the end, the Racers couldn’t see the game through, losing the fifth and final set 15-9. Louisiana would win the match 3-2 and drop the Racer to 0-3 on the season and for the event.
Murray State head coach David Schwepker said he saw a few good things over the weekend, but “nothing like what I see in practice.”
“The teams we played this weekend were great, and my team seems to get scared and back down,” Schwepker said. “If this doesn’t change, it will be a long season.”
The Racers will look for their first win of the season when they play in the Elon Phoenix Classic in Elon, North Carolina starting on Sept. 6. Their first matchup is against North Carolina Central at 10 a.m.
