Creighton University
6-3
Wichita State
6-4
CHAMPS! Volleyball wins Bluejay Invitational
9/13/2014 10:11:00 PM | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton Volleyball won the Bluejay Invitational for the first time in program history with a 3-1 win over Wichita State on Saturday night. The win was the sixth straight in the series for Creighton over its former Missouri Valley Conference rival.
Scores of the match were 25-15, 16-25, 27-25, 25-19. Creighton improved to 6-3 with the win, while WSU is now 6-4.
Kelli Browning was named Tournament MVP after matching her career-best with 18 kills and hitting a blistering .586. She added seven block assists to lead all players. Joining her on the All-Tournament Team from Creighton were Lauren Smith and Maggie Baumert.
The teams exchanged lopsided victories to start the match, with Creighton taking a 25-15 decision before WSU answered with a 25-16 triumph.
Browning had six kills in seven swings, and Kate Elman eight digs and two aces to help CU, which never trailed in the opening inning. Baumert dished 15 assists to run a Bluejay offense that hit .469.
WSU had five aces in the second set en route to its win, hitting .240 in the process.
Unquestionably, the key moment in the match occurred down the stretch of the third set. Creighton saved set points when trailing 24-22, 24-33 and 25-24 and would tie the score at 25-all on a kill from Leah McNary. CU then got to set point on a kill by Marysa Wilkinson before McNary and Smith teamed to stuff Abbie Lehman for the 27-25 comeback win.
Creighton had to dig itself out of another hole in the fourth set after falling behind 10-4 early. CU tied it for the first time at 14-all during part of a 9-0 blitz served up by Baumert that left CU comfortably ahead 21-14. WSU would save three match points before Wilkinson's sixth kill of the final frame clinched CU's first title in the program's modern history at a tournament in Omaha.
Browning led all players with 18 kills and .586 hitting, with Wilkinson not far behind with 14 kills and five blocks. McNary had 14 kills on .367 hitting as well. Baumert had 49 assists, seven digs and six kills, hitting .667 while quarterbacking an offense that hit .319 overall. CU's defensive effort was stellar in all three sets it won, paced by 19 digs by Kate Elman.
Creighton finished with 63 kills, five aces, 65 digs and 13.0 blocks on the evening.
WSU was led by Lehman's 16 kills on .538 hitting. Dani Mostrom had 20 digs for the Shockers, while her sister Gabi added 13 digs. WSU tallied 48 assists, eight aces, 52 digs and three blocks on .186 hitting overall.
Prior to the final match, Pepperdine swept Bowling Green (25-15, 25-14, 25-15) to claim third place in the tournament.
Creighton returns to action with four matches next week, beginning with No. 11 Nebraska on Wednesday night before hosting the Creighton Classic next weekend.
2014 Bluejay Invitational Summary
September 12-13, 2014 – Omaha, Neb.
Final Standings
1. Creighton 3-0
2. Wichita State 2-1
3. Pepperdine 1-2
4. Bowling Green 0-3
Match Scores
Friday, September 12, 2014
Wichita State def. Bowling Green, 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 28-30, 33-35, 16-14)
Creighton def. Pepperdine, 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-20, 25-22)
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014
Wichita State def. Pepperdine, 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22)
Creighton def. Bowling Green, 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-15)
Pepperdine def. Bowling Green, 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-15)
Creighton def. Wichita State, 3-1 (25-15, 16-25, 27-25, 25-19)
All-Tournament Team
Kelli Browning, Creighton (MVP)
Lauren Smith, Creighton
Maggie Baumert, Creighton
Abbie Lehman, Wichita State
Ashlynn Driskill, Wichita State
Becca Strehlow, Pepperdine
Kelsey Bates, Bowling Green
Bluejay Invitational Records Broken or Tied
None
