Volleyball Takes MVC Opener in Four Sets at Bradley
9/20/2008 2:15:00 AM | Volleyball
Schulze served Creighton to a 9-0 lead in the second set and later served four straight with CU trailing 23-19 in the fourth set and a fifth set looming. Schulze's serves brought it back to 23-23, and after a Bradley side out, the Jays got consecutive kills from Carolyn Decker and a match-ending ace from freshman Laurel Sanford.
“Sarah Schulze has traditionally been good in those serving situations late in matches, and not just this year,” said CU head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. “I was very comfortable that she was back there and happy about that. I was proud of Laurel, who hasn't served too much, that she did what she did with a pair of aces late as well.”
Creighton evened its record at 4-4 and is 1-0 in the MVC. Bradley dropped to 3-8 and is 0-1 in league action.
Creighton broke open a tightly contested first set, using a 5-0 run with Allie Oelke serving to build an 18-12 lead. The Jays took the first set, 25-20, on a kill by Korie Lebeda. CU hit .324 in the opening set, shaking off a couple early errors to pound 14 kills in 34 swings.
Creighton cruised to a 9-0 advantage to open set two with
The third set began with 12 consecutive side outs before Bradley scored three straight to claim a 9-6 edge. Creighton would claw back to go up 14-13 but Bradley quickly regained a two-point advantage as the teams exchanged numerous side outs. Down 22-20, CU got a kill from Amanda Cvejdlik and solo stuff from
Bradley's block came to life in the fourth set with five blocks in the first 19 points while building an 11-8 lead. Though CU tied it at 15, Bradley reeled off three straight to take an 18-15 edge and forcing the Jays second timeout of the set. Creighton trailed 23-19 late in the fourth set, got a side out and Schulze once again went on a serving run to tie the score at 23 apiece. Kaitlyn Comiskey gave BU a set point opportunity with a thunderous kill through the middle, but CU fought off the set point with a kill from Decker. Decker followed with another kill and Laurel Sanford ended the match with her second career ace when it bounded off the leg of Braves libero Rachelle Dejean.
Oelke led Creighton with a season-high 14 kills in her return to the front row, while Houts had 10 kills. Sanford, making her first career start, finished with seven kills, five blocks and two aces while hitting .500 in 12 swings. Creighton had 51 kills, four aces, 56 digs and nine blocks for the match. The Jays also had a season-high 15 serving errors.
Bradley was led by 10 kills from Reichel, while freshman Megan Schmidt had a hand in six of the team's seven blocks. Bradley had 40 kills, three aces, 54 digs and seven blocks while hitting .092.
Creighton returns to action tomorrow night with a road match at
NOTES: Karisa Almgren checked in for the first time in her career midway through the second set and delivered an ace on her first career serve ...Laurel Sanford's start was the first of her career ...Creighton has won six straight against Bradley and 10 of the last 11.
