Stephen F. Austin
13-2
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Mississippi State
4-9
Ladyjacks Push Win Streak to Ten by Ripping Mississippi State in Three
9/15/2018 6:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
SFA wraps up non-conference play with 13-2 record
DENTON, Texas - Putting an exclamation point on an exceptionally strong non-conference schedule, the SFA volleyball team hit .347, received 11 terminations from senior outside hitter Haley Coleman and 10 more from junior setter Ann Hollas and the Ladyjacks whipped SEC foe Mississippi State 3-0 in their final match of the North Texas Challenge.
With the triumph, SFA increased its winning streak to 10 matches and made it consecutive seasons with a winning streak of 10 or more. Additionally, the Ladyjacks' 13 victories are tied with in-state and American Athletic Conference institution Houston for the most in all of NCAA Division I volleyball at the moment.
SET ONE | SFA 25, Mississippi State 16
• Hoping to avoid the emotional highs and lows from their opening match of the day, the Ladyjacks made sure to keep the pressure on the Bulldogs' defense all throughout the first frame.
• Early on, the Bulldogs' tall front row players held SFA's offense in check and with a combo rejection by Khristian Carr and Deja Robinson Mississippi State grabbed a 5-4 lead.
• After the squads swapped points, SFA broke things open with a 6-1 run on the serve of freshman Sabrina Monaco. Three Ladyjacks pounded down kills during the run while Monaco added the first of SFA's five service aces.
• Another pair of blocks by the Bulldogs keyed a 4-0 Mississippi State counter later in the match to cut the Ladyjacks' lead to 13-12, but out of SFA's timeout the Ladyjacks put a stop to the comeback bid.
• Stepping on the gas hard, SFA closed the set on a 12-4 run featuring terminations from five different players. Coleman did the most damage during that run, flooring four of her five set one kills while fellow senior McKenzie Brewer added a kill of her own to go along with a service ace.
SET TWO | SFA 25, Mississippi State 15
• Much like what transpired in the opening set, the teams traded points early before a sizable SFA run midway through the frame broke the Bulldogs.
• After consecutive kills from Mississippi State's Robinson handed the Bulldogs an 8-6 lead, SFA ripped off seven of the next eight points to take the lead the rest of the way. Three unforced Mississippi State attack errors aided the Ladyjacks on the run.
• Twice the Bulldogs closed within three before a 5-0 scoring surge by the Ladyjacks put them up 19-11. Brewer served up another ace during that spree while Hollas and Anyia Williams teamed up for a block.
• Xariah Williams and Coleman finished off the Bulldogs by punching down two kills each during a 6-1 Ladyjack surge to end the set. Mississippi State hit a match-low .000 in the set.
SET THREE | SFA 25, Mississippi State 15
• No quarter was given to the Bulldogs as freshman Marisabel Torres laced in an ace as did Monaco during a 12-5 run by the Ladyjacks to start the final frame. Anyia Williams drove down a pair of kills thorough that set-starting run, too.
• Amarrah Cooks trimmed the Ladyjacks' lead to 12-6 with a termination but that was as close as the Bulldogs got.
• Relentless in their pursuit of victory, SFA floored 16 terminations and hit at a clip of .464 through the frame while limiting the Bulldogs to a hitting percentage of .212.
KEY PERFORMERS/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• Hollas hit an impressive .643 in the three-set victory over Mississippi State and finished with a 10-kill, 14-assist double-double.
• Brewer dished out a match-high 19 assists for the Ladyjacks which complimented her pair of service aces and seven digs.
• In terms of back row defense, Monaco led the way by scooping up 14 balls. No other Ladyjack exceeded eight digs and Monaco's total represented a match-high.
• Robinson posted seven kills for Mississippi State and was one of two Bulldogs who finished with a trio of blocks. Cooks also has three rejections to go along with six kills in the squad's third consecutive loss.
• SFA maintained its perfect all-time record against the Bulldogs with Saturday's win. The Ladyjacks have won each of their six matchups against Mississippi State.
QUOTABLES
Head coach Debbie Humphreys on the win | "In this one we just found a rhythm that we were unable to find against North Texas earlier in the day. It seemed like we were just scrapping and clawing in that match and we never really got anywhere. Here got into a rhythm at the service line, we passed well, we defended well and I thought we played a good, solid all-around match."
Head coach Debbie Humphreys on SFA's success in non-conference play | "We've played a very good schedule so far. We've had a couple weekends specifically that challenged us and of all the matches we've played there was just one where we just looked really, really off. We've played some matches where we were on a roller coaster that we wanted to get off of but we've managed to find ways to win. There's something to be said for not playing your absolute best volleyball but finding ways to win. Maybe the five-setter against North Texas is something we needed today; it all happens for a reason."
Sophomore Anyia Williams on how it felt to get back on the court this weekend | "It felt really good to come back in and dominate as a team this weekend. Especially at the Rice game it was so much fun and even though I just wanted to come back in and play we all had a great time."
Sophomore Anyia Williams on the adjustments SFA made against Mississippi State | "We went to rotational defense because their blocks were there so we just had to start swinging high and start seeing the block more."
COMING UP NEXT
• After putting their best foot forward in non-conference play, the Ladyjacks and defending Southland Conference regular season titleholders turn their attention to league action. Saturday afternoon in Shelton Gym, Southland play starts with a bang as SFA plays host to 2017 Southland Conference Tournament champion Central Arkansas at 1:00 p.m.
-SFA-
