Lions stop Fowler-led Grizzlies
GOLDEN, Colo.— Sophomore Tamara Fowler (Rio Rancho, N.M.) recorded a career-high 12 kills on a solid .450 attacking effort but the Saint Leo University (Fla.) Lions held the rest of the Adams State College Grizzlies to a combined .037 hitting efficiency as the balanced Lions posted three straight 25-19 wins to claim victory in both team’s first match of the season, Friday at the Holiday Inn-Denver West Village Oredigger Volleyball Classic played in the Colorado School of Mines’ Lockridge Arena.
The Lions hit .247 as a team as junior middle blocker Kaitlin McKenna led the way with 10 kills and three blocks while hitting .350. Bruna Rocha and Emily Calderon-Reyes each added eight kills for the Lions, members of the Sunshine State Conference.
The Grizzlies were guilty of 22 hitting errors throughout the match and hit just .118 as a team.
Grizzly freshman outside hitter Dominique Davis (Denver, Colo.) had eight kills and three blocks, but also made 12 of those hitting errors.
Senior Darcy Jennings-Calkins (Lakin, Kan.) finished the match with seven kills and a team-high four blocks.
Both teams finished the match with five although the Lions did have a big advantage in the serving game as they recorded six aces while holding the Grizzlies without any.
The match was even to start and even saw the Grizzlies take an 11-9 lead before a 10-0 Lion run behind the serving of Danielle Bletso gave the Lions a 19-11 lead that they mostly maintained while closing out the set with another 3-0 spurt featuring kills by Calderon-Reyes and Bletso.
The second set was even closer and was tied six times including at 17 before a block by setter Michelle Nogueras and Bletso followed by a Bletso kill gave the Lions a 19-17 lead.
SLU stretched the lead to 22-18 with two McKenna kills before a Bletso service ace and a Grizzly hitting error put the Lions up 24-18.
ASC freshman Deprece Washington (Johnstown, Colo.) then put down her only kill of the match before one of ASC’s six service errors extended the Lions’ lead to 2-0.
The third set was also even in the beginning and was tied at 11 before an 8-2 Lion run, led by two kills and two service aces from Rocha, helped the Lions start the end-game.
The Grizzlies will play again Friday facing Washburn (Kan.) ranked 11th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll at 3:30 p.m.
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