SFA Drops Two Matches to Close Auburn Trip
8/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Scores
Samford 3, SFA 0
Jacksonville 3, SFA 2
AUBURN, Ala. – The Stephen F. Austin women’s volleyball team finished the War Eagle Invitational with two losses on Saturday, dropping a 3-0 match to Samford before falling in a five-set thriller to Jacksonville inside Auburn Arena.
The Ladyjacks (0-3) took a tough Jacksonville team to five sets in Saturday evening’s match. SFA’s middle blocking duo of Jacque Allen and Justice Walker paced the attack with 14 kills apiece while junior setter Shannon Connell dished out 50 assists and senior OJ Olson led the way with 25 digs. Allen added 10 blocks (1 solo, 9 assists) to notch a double-double.
The Dolphins (2-1) took the opening set 25-18, but the Ladyjacks fired back with a convincing 25-13 victory in the second set to tie the match 1-1. SFA hit at a .250 clip while holding Jacksonville to a -.083 attack percentage in the frame.
The two squads went back and forth again in the third and fourth sets, with Jacksonville winning 25-18 in the third and SFA posting a 25-16 win in the fourth. Once again, the Ladyjacks forced the ‘Fins to hit in the negative (-.047) in the fourth period to force a deciding fifth set.
Despite hitting at a respectable .238 percentage in the fifth, SFA couldn’t overcome an efficient .500 hitting rate by Jacksonville in the final set, as the ‘Fins took the set 15-10 to win the match.
After Olson’s 25 digs, the Ladyjacks got great defense from Haley Coleman (11 digs), Lexus Cain (16 digs) and Courtney Schade (19 digs) to keep the Dolphins at a .133 attack percentage on the night.
In the morning match against Samford, SFA was led offensively with eight kills from Walker, seven from Abby McIntyre and six at the hands of Coleman. Connell recorded a team-high 25 assists and Olson racked up 21 digs.
Despite playing the Bulldogs tough, SFA fell in straight sets (25-21, 25-21, 25-19).
The Ladyjacks will look for their first win of the season next weekend at the SFA Volleyball Invitational held in Shelton Gym on Friday and Saturday. SFA will play Columbia, Northeastern, Texas Tech and South Dakota State over the two-day tournament.
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