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MARSHALL SPORTS
Herd spikers hosting tourney
HUNTINGTON -- The Marshall University volleyball team will host its Marshall Tournament beginning Friday, Sept. 5-6 at the Cam Henderson Center.
The Thundering Herd (2-1) will take on Virginia Tech (3-0), Friday, at 7:00 p.m., and will square off against ETSU (2-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. before facing Western Kentucky (3-0) in the nightcap.
Marshall is 2-1 in its first three matches to start a campaign for the first time since the 2004 season. The Herd swept its season-opener against Tennessee Tech and defeated Wright State 3-2, before falling short against Cincinnati.
Herd junior Emily Sullivan blasted 45 kills over the weekend, including a career-high 20 kills in the victory over Wright State. Sullivan was the team-leader in kills in each of its three matches, and was also the match-leader in Marshall's two victories. She hit at a .412 clip against Cincinnati, and registered a .312 hitting percentage against Tennessee Tech en route to earning her first-career Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week award.
Sophomore setter Elizabeth Fleming dished out 120 helpers over the first three contests en route to earning her fifth-career C-USA Setter of the Week honor. Fleming registered 10.91 assists per set, while picking up 12 kills and 28 digs, (including a double-double 51 assists, 16 digs in the Herd's victory over Wright State). Fleming's 39 assists against Tennessee Tech and 51 against Wright State, were both match-highs. In the victory over Wright State, she hit at a staggering .533 clip (8 K, 0 E, 15 TA) and added three assisted blocks.
Marshall is 4-11 overall against Virginia Tech in a series that dates back to 1977. The Herd dropped a 3-0 decision to the Hokies in its last meeting in 2007. Leading the way for the Hokies is Betsy Horowitz who leads the squad with 24 kills and is hitting at a .436 clip (24 K, 5 E, 41 TA). Taylor Parrish is close behind with 22 kills, and also has a second-best 29 digs for Virginia Tech. Jill Gergen sits atop that category with 31 so far on the season.
ETSU and Marshall have not met since 1996, when the Herd swept the Buccaneers, 3-0. ETSU owns a 26-13 advantage over Marshall, dating back to 1970. Lauren Baufield leads ETSU with 28 kills, including an 11-kill effort in the Buccaneer's 3-2 win over High Point. Jen Neice has dug 55 balls for ETSU, highlighted by 27 against High Point.
The Herd and Western Kentucky met last season, with the Hilltoppers posting a 3-0 victory in that contest. Western Kentucky leads the all-time series 3-1, dating back to the first meeting in 1983. Megan Argabright's 42 kills leads the Hilltoppers, and her .493 hitting percentage is tops for all Hilltoppers with 10 or more kills. Lindsey Gould and Kelly Hofmeyer are tied for the team lead in digs with 31 apiece, while Julia Noe has 117 assists so far in 2008.
