Grizzlies fall in straight sets at Oredigger Classic
GOLDEN, Colo.— After dropping a pair of 5-game matches yesterday, the Adams State College volleyball team fell to Wayne State (Neb.) College and the University of Minnesota-Crookston in straight sets on Saturday, the last of two days at the Days Inn-Denver West Oredigger Classic, hosted by the Colorado School of Mines in the Volk Gymnasium. The Grizzlies fell to WSC 30-15, 30-22, 30-26 in a match that last just over one hour before losing the afternoon contest 31-29, 30-20, 30-17.
The hitting woes that have plagued the Grizzlies through much of the young season struck again on Saturday as the Grizzlies managed just a .095 hitting percentage in the first match, including a .053 effort in the first game. Junior Brittany Muchmore (Peoria, Ariz.) was the lone bright spot in the match as the 6-foot right side hitter put down 12 kills on 25 attempts to lead the way.
Twenty-three digs from sophomore Jesse Pickens (Cortez, Colo.) and 31 assists from Tagen Bierley (Colorado Springs, Colo.) were not enough to overcome 19 kills and six blocks from WSC’s Emily Schroeder, however. The Wildcats also got 14 kills from Brittany Van Beek, as the pair committed just three hitting errors between them in the match.
As a team, WSC compiled a .295 attacking percentage, including a .432 effort in the first game of the match, while improving to 6-1 on the season.
Momentum was squarely on the side of the WSC throughout much of the game as the Wildcats were able to put together several runs of four or more points in games one and two. Game three was tighter, but WSC rallied from a 22-20 deficit to pull ahead 26-22.
A Leah Hill (Fort Collins, Colo.) service ace and a Muchmore kill put the Grizzlies back to within one at 26-25, but a pair of Wildcat kills and a Grizzly hitting error gave WSC the cushion it needed to preserve the win.
Game two proved to be an intense battle to start before the Grizzlies trailed off in game three. UMC used 12 blocks, 51 kills and 34 Grizzly hitting errors to take the 3-game set in another short match.
Darcy Jennings (Lakin, Kan.) has 10 kills for the Grizzlies, seven of which came in game one. The redshirt freshman also had nine digs and a pair of blocks.
Junior Ashly Heikes (Hartington, Neb.), seeing her first extended action of the season, served up 30 assists and put down three kills in the loss.
The Golden Eagles got a balanced attacking effort with a trio of players in double-digit kill figures, led by Erin Flynn and Theresa Crance who had 14 apiece. Flyn also had five solo blocks and assisted on two others. Crance had three solos and two assists at the net.
The Grizzlies return home next weekend to host one of four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference crossover tournaments to be held throughout the season. ASC will take on Colorado Mines on Friday at 7 p.m. before hosting Colorado Christian and Regis University at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on Saturday. All three matches will be played in Plachy Hall.
Related Item: Wayne State Box
Related Item: Minnesota-Crookston Box
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