Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas
SFA Sweeps UCA on Senior Day
11/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The 2014 SFA volleyball senior class made their last home match a great one, sweeping Central Arkansas 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-14) in Shelton Gym on Senior Day, Saturday afternoon. The win snaps an 11-match losing streak for the Ladyjacks against the Sugar Bears dating back to 2007.
Senior Jill Ivy had a terrific performance in what was her final match in Shelton Gym. The outside hitter posted a match-high 13 kills on .417 hitting to lead SFA to an impressive .322 team hitting mark.
“It means a lot to get a big win like this on senior day,” Ivy said. “It was just a great, complete team effort. It really touched us as seniors that the team would play like that for us. We really did just go out there and play for each other today.”
It was fitting too, that Ivy passed Traci Rohde for ninth on SFA’s all-time career kills list with her 13-kill afternoon. She currently sits at 1,301 kills over her four years with the program.
The Ladyjacks (19-7, 12-0 SLC) limited the Sugar Bears (15-9, 10-2 SLC) to a .050 percentage in the attack and outblocked the reigning conference champions 13-3. Junior OJ Olson led the back line with 14 digs while sophomore Justice Walker guarded the net with eight total blocks.
“Skill-wise I thought our block was beastly,” said head coach Debbie Humphreys. “Blocking and serving were the two things that stood out and what I thought made the difference today.”
Freshman Lexus Cain added eight digs and Ivy, junior Madison Martin and senior Paige Holland each contributed six. Ivy also rejected six balls at the net for SFA.
Holland distributed the potent Ladyjack attack with 36 assists. Freshman Abby McIntyre, junior Jacque Allen and Walker each turned seven Holland sets into kills on the afternoon. Junior Tori Bates grounded six winners to help the balanced attack.
SFA will hit the road for the final four matches in the regular season, starting with Lamar on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m. The Ladyjacks will then make the journey to Natchitoches, La. for a matchup with Northwestern State on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. Two wins next week would clinch at least a share of the Southland Conference regular season title for SFA.
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Debbie Humphreys:
Humphreys on Saturday’s win…
“We knew we had to come out and play good volleyball today, but I reminded the girls we didn’t have to play a perfect match. We haven’t played a perfect match yet this year. We needed to do the things that we preach. It’s even on our wall in the locker room. SFA stands for solid – we need solid individual performances; fun – we need to go out and enjoy it and not let the pressure of the situation get us; and attitude – we needed to go out and have a confident attitude. We did all of those things today.”
Humphreys on the 2014 senior class earning a win in their final match at Shelton Gym…
“It’s awesome to get a win like this on senior day. I told our seniors we’re having a reception following the match because if you put up with me for four years you deserve to have a reception at the end of that. It’s already an emotional day for them but to make it something that’s a very memorable day – I just couldn’t be happier for them.”
-SFA-
