Stephen F. Austin
2-0
Arkansas State University
1-1
SFA Shuts Down Arkansas State, Claims 3-0 Win over Red Wolves in Memphis
8/25/2018 11:24:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
SFA starts 2-0 for first time since 2016
MEMPHIS - In Debbie Humphreys' 1,000th match as the Ladyjacks' head coach, SFA turned to its potent front-row stoppers, racked up eight blocks and downed Arkansas State, 3-0, for the squad's first 2-0 start since 2016.
SET ONE | SFA 25, Arkansas State 20
• Arkansas State amassed more kills and more blocks than the Ladyjacks through the opening frame, but SFA used a strong start coupled with an early 4-0 run to keep the Red Wolves at bay.
• Makenzee Hanna and Danae Daron gave the Ladyjacks a 2-0 lead out of the gates with back-to-back kills and the first of six Arkansas State service errors in the set increased the Ladyjacks' lead to 3-1.
• It wasn't just the Red Wolves' miscues from the service line that benefitted the Ladyjacks. Arkansas State also committed seven unforced attack errors, helping SFA accumulated 13 of the 25 points it needed in the set without exerting much effort.
• Though Arkansas State managed to cut SFA's lead to 22-20 with a 3-1 run featuring kills from three different players, three straight unforced errors by the Red Wolves closed the set and gave SFA a 1-0 lead.
SET TWO | SFA 25, Arkansas State 19
• In order to put themselves one set away from victory, the Ladyjacks got defensive in the middle frame. Redmond and Makenzee Hanna teamed up for a combo rejection before Daron added a solo stuff during SFA's 4-1 run to begin the frame
• SFA's front row defense was a major theme throughout the frame as the Ladyjacks racked up five rejections while limiting the Red Wolves' attack to a clip of only .089.
• Beginning with a tandem block from Redmond and Anyia Williams and finishing with the Ladyjacks' lone service ace of the match courtesy of Ann Hollas, SFA used a 6-1 run to up its lead to 16-6.
• Back-to-back terminations from senior Haley Coleman helped the Ladyjacks keep their foot on the gas pedal and increased SFA's advantage to 21-10 before the Red Wolves attempted a comeback.
• Timber Terrell punched down three kills and added a service ace during Arkansas State's 7-1 run that cut the Ladyjacks' lead down to 22-17. From there, SFA righted the ship by feeding the middle and receiving consecutive kills from Anyia Williams and Daron to stop the Red Wolves' run. After two more Arkansas State points, Daron clinched the set with her second kill of the frame.
SET THREE | SFA 25, Arkansas State 23
• Trading points - and runs - with the Red Wolves early on, the Ladyjacks watched senior Peyton Redmond begin a 4-0 run with a termination and end it with SFA's third and final service ace of the match to put her squad up 12-10.
• Another 4-1 SFA spurt beginning with kills from Coleman and Hollas ended with consecutive unforced errors by Arkansas State and put the Ladyjacks ahead 18-14. From there, however, the Red Wolves uncorked a sizable run of their own and moved to the brink of victory in the set.
• With only three point separating them from a fourth set with Arkansas State, the Ladyjacks' buckled down and relied on their defense to keep the Red Wolves from extending the match.
• Carlisa May finished off an 8-1 run by Arkansas State with a kill that handed the Red Wolves a 22-19 lead before Hanna and Daron joined forces for a block on May to begin a match-clinching 6-1 surge for SFA.
• Through that run, Hanna turned in two block assists and a kill, Arkansas State fired two attacks out of bounds and the tandem of Anyia Williams and Coleman stuffed Preseason Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Year Ellie Watkins' attack at the net to clinch the match.
KEY PERFORMERS | STATS OF NOTE
• Once again, Brewer and Hollas split time triggering the Ladyjacks' attack with the former earning team-high honors by passing out 19 assists. Hollas added 18 assists and against neared triple-double territory by finishing with seven kills and eight digs.
• Through two matches, the Ladyjacks do not have a player with more than nine kills in a match. SFA's varied offensive attack was on display again as six different players finished with five or more kills. Senior Haley Coleman and junior Danae Daron led the way with eight terminations each while the former added 10 of SFA's 56 digs.
• Freshman Sabrina Monaco continued to impress in the back row, accumulating a team-high 18 digs through her three sets of action. Through two matches, the first-year collegian is averaging 5.33 digs per set.
• Powering SFA's front-row defensive plan was sophomore Anyia Williams who finished with a match-high four blocks (one solo, three assisted) while junior Danae Daron (one solo, two assisted) and senior Makenzee Hanna (three assisted) chipped in three more apiece. Hanna also added five of SFA's 40 terminations and hit .500 in the team's second-straight victory.
• In addition to the Ladyjacks' strong defensive effort, they also benefitted from an error-prone Arkansas State attack. In all, the Red Wolves committed 22 unforced errors - nine from the service line and 13 on the attack - to give SFA nearly one-third of the points it needed to win.
• 2018 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Carlisa May finished with 13 kills for Arkansas State but also committed 10 errors to hit only .067 in the tilt.
• Saturday's win over Arkansas State snapped the Red Wolves' two-match winning streak in the series and was SFA's first win over that particular Sun Belt foe since 2006.
COMING UP NEXT
• With two wins through their first two matches of the year, the Ladyjacks go gunning for their first 3-0 start since 2013 when they close out their three-match slate at the Memphis Invitational by taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 4:30 p.m.
-SFA-
