Stephen F. Austin
2-1
Stetson University
0-3
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Efficient Attack Plan Helps Ladyjacks Blast Stetson, 3-1
8/26/2017 7:45:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Eagleton (15), Evans (14) and Daron (13) each rack up double-digit kills
Stetson Invitational
Stephen F. Austin 3, Stetson 1 | 27-29, 25-24, 25-13, 25-11
Records: Stephen F. Austin | 2-1 • Stetson | 0-3
Up next: at Louisiana-Monroe (0-3) | Wed., Aug. 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Fant-Ewing Coliseum
DeLAND, Fla. - One of the things that all collegiate coaches want second-year players to evade is the sophomore slump - a drop in effectiveness following said players' freshman season.
If the play of Danae Daron, Shayla Eagleton and Corin Evans on Saturday evening was an indication of what is to come, the Ladyjacks have no need to worry about a decrease in productivity from that trio.
Each member of that aforementioned group of sophomores racked up 13 or more kills, helping SFA post a powerful .342 hitting percentage which aided the Ladyjacks greatly in their 3-1 triumph over Stetson inside the Edmunds Center.
In just four sets, Eagleton posted a team-best 15 errorless kills on 20 swings to finish up with an attack percentage of .750. Those 15 kills were not only more than she amassed through her entire freshman year, they yielded a spot on the Stetson Invitational All-Tournament Team for the Richmond, Texas, product as well.
Evans added 14 kills and Daron chipped in 13 to round out SFA's primary trio of offensive threats. Junior Haley Coleman locked up a spot on the Stetson Invitational All-Tournament Team along with Eagleton by turning in an eight-kill, 13-dig performance.
The only trouble SFA ran into from the Hatters came in the first set after the home squad made a push late in the set to secure its sole lead of the match. After Evans knocked down a kill to increase SFA's lead to 23-21, Stetson battled back with consecutive kills to tie things up.
As the teams battled through extra points, a Stetson attack error tied things at 27-27 before the Hatters finished off SFA in that frame with a kill and a combo block from Hao Jin and Julie Varga.
Outside of one instance early on, the second set belonged to the Ladyjacks. After the Hatters used an SFA attack error to claim an early 3-2 lead, Daron and Hanna pounded down two kills each in an 8-1 SFA surge which pushed the visitors ahead for the remainder of the frame.
Eagleton provided consecutive winners to up SFA's edge to 16-5 - the first of of four 11-point leads the Ladyjacks would possess in the frame. For the frame, SFA hit .552 and racked up 17 kills.
Much like what transpired in the second frame, the Ladyjacks fell behind early before embarking on a huge run to take control of both the set and the match. Stetson captured four of the first five points of the set before SFA rattled off three in a row to tie things up. After the Hatters recaptured the lead, SFA jumped ahead for good after Eagleton started a 17-5 run with a kill.
McKenzie Brewer and Evans each served up aces through the course of the lengthy scoring spree and Coleman ended things with SFA's 16th termination of the frame. Although the Ladyjacks' attack percentage slipped to .405 in the frame, it was more than enough to put them one set away from victory.
The Ladyjacks did not squander their opportunity to finish off the Hatters in the fourth set as they never trailed at any point in the frame. Defensively, the Ladyjacks allowed only eight kills to the Hatters compared to nine errors for a hitting percentage of -.028. Conversely, the Ladyjacks committed only two errors on 29 swings and finished with 12 kills in the final frame, finishing with an attack percentage of .345 in the set.
Using a two-setter system for the second time in as many matches, SFA received a team-high 25 helpers from McKenzie Brewer and 23 more from Ann Hollas. Makenzee Hanna keyed an aggressive service game for SFA by finishing with three of the team's six aces to go along with six kills and three block assists. Defensively, Lexus Cain generated a team-high 19 digs which helped limit Stetson to a .182 hitting percentage.
For the Hatters, Eva Deisa posted a match-best 17 kills. Setting up Stetson's offense was Naina Ivanova who finished with a 44-assist, 18-dig double-double.
The next stop on the Ladyjacks' eight-match road trip to open 2017 is Monroe, La., for non-conference showdown with Louisiana-Monroe. SFA begins its bid for a third-straight win when they serve it up with the Warhawks at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening.
-SFA-
