Home Not So Sweet

October 6, 2007

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University showed some resolve and grit pushing three separate opponents to the brink before succumbing in matches played at the first-ever SWOSU Volleyball Classic. The Bulldogs were 3-2 losers to Texas A&M-Commerce, 3-1 to Missouri Southern and finished with a 3-0 defeat by Arkansas Tech.

SWOSU, now 9-14 on the year, will resume Lone Star Conference action Thursday, Oct. 11 when it hosts Tarleton State University in a special game being billed as “Unleash the Beat – Fight Night 2007.”

In its first game, SWOSU had A&M-Commerce on the ropes before allowing the Lions to wiggle free. SWOSU was ahead 2-1 after winning the third game 30-23. The Lions then roared back and pushed it into a fifth game by winning the fourth by the same 30-23 margin.

Both teams found little separation in the fifth. Kasandra Gurtner brought the Bulldogs to within one point at 11-10 with her 17th and final kill of the match. However, the Lions regrouped and won the final four points to steal the victory, 15-10.

The match was evenly played as both teams mirrored each other in the statistics department. SWOSU carried an attack percentage of .116 while Commerce finished at .109.

Gurtner led SWOSU with 17 kills while teammates
Tennessee Brown added 13 and freshman Stephanie Parker had a career-best 11 kills in her first start of the year. The Bulldogs showed their toughness in the second match. On the verge of being swept by Missouri Southern, SWOSU rallied for a thrilling 30-28 victory in game three to send it to a fourth.

Kacia Sandburg had back-to-back kills to put SWOSU ahead 29-28. Sandburg then teamed with Kristen Kaufman on a block that resulted in the game winner.

MSSU strung together six straight points and took control of the fourth game at 17-7. The Lions wrapped it up quickly thereafter wining 30-18.

Gurtner again had the most kills for SWOSU with 16 while Sandburg followed with 10.

In the final match against Arkansas Tech, the Bulldogs played even for the first 30 points and had the match locked at 15-15. The Golden Suns then got some breathing room and pulled ahead before eventually winning the first game by a 30-21 score.

The Suns began to assert themselves in the second game and forced the Bulldogs into mistakes before winning 30-14. ATU completed the three-game sweep with a 30-22 victory in the third and final game.

SWOSU finished with a negative attack percentage for only the second time in 23 matches this year. The Bulldogs had 29 errors against 26 kills while ATU managed a salty attack percentage of .270 with 50 kills against 17 errors.