Tuck's 21 kills, double-double not enough for Grizzlies at WSC
GUNNISON, Colo.— Grizzly junior outside hitter Andrea Tuck (Erie, Colo.) had a match-high 21 kills and the match’s only double-double but was not enough for the Adams State College volleyball team, which split a pair of overtime decisions in the first two sets before falling in four to rival Western State College, Saturday night here in front of a rocking homecoming weekend crowd at the Mountaineers’ Paul Wright Gymnasium.
Tuck, hit .326 on the night and had a career-high matching 14 digs, but was the only Grizzly with 10 or more kills as the Grizzlies, who have yet to play a home match in 2008, fell to 3-6 overall and to 0-2 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play after the 27-29, 26-24, 25-22, 25-17 setback.
The Mountaineers, who had three players in double-figure kills, out-hit ASC .267 to .153 and improved to 3-7 overall and to 2-0 in RMAC play with their second 4-set win in as many nights.
Erin Osleson led the way for the Mountaineers as she recorded 19 kills and five blocks all while hitting an impressive .514. Lindsay Huson was also on her game finishing with 13 kills, five blocks and a .393 hitting percentage. Amanda Passehl was also in double figures with 10 kills.
The Mountaineers dominated the net out-blocking ASC 10-2. Other than that, the statistics were amazingly even with the Mountaineers recording only a 57-56 advantage in total kills. Both teams had 54 assists and 53 digs while the Grizzlies recorded four service aces and nine errors, compared to the Mountaineers three aces and eight service errors.
Grizzly setter Mary McNeil (Phoenix, Ariz.) had a slight 47-45 edge on her counterpart Amy Thompson in assists although Thompson recorded 12 digs and three blocks to help the Mountaineers to victory. Mountaineer libero Madison Dempsey and Jamie Hamsa, each had 13 digs while Grizzly freshman libero AJ Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished with 12.
Tuck had six kills in each of the first two sets but relied on teammates Amanda Strauss (Espanola, N.M.) and Tamara Fowler (Rio Rancho, N.M.) to close out the first set after Osleson answered Tuck kill-for-kill twice in the late stages of the first set.
The second set was tight throughout and included 15 ties and seven lead changes before Osleson and Thompson came up with a block before Thompson put down her only kill of the night to even the match with the 26-24 victory.
The third set was also close and included 10 ties and four lead changes before a 3-0 Mountaineer run, highlighted by a Cecelia Vollmer and Huson block gave the Mountaineers a 20-17 lead.
The Grizzlies fought back to within 21-20 on a Strauss kill but then watched Huson and Osleson answer before the latter put down a kill and block, surrounding a Tuck point, to give the Mountaineers a 2-1 lead.
Down 6-4 early in the fourth set, the Mountaineers then went on a 7-0 run triggered by an Osleson kill and continued by Hamsa at the serving line to take total control.
After one of Fowler’s seven kills temporarily stopped the bleeding, the Mountaineers continued the string with back-to-back Dempsey service aces and finished the stretch with a 14-7 lead before coasting to the victory.
The Grizzlies now return home to play five of their next six matches in Plachy Hall, starting next Friday at 7 p.m. against New Mexico Highlands, currently 4-5 overall and 0-2 in the RMAC.
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