Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Toledo
Volleyball Rockets Past Toledo, 3-1
10/2/2009 9:46:36 PM | Volleyball
Senior Victoria Randolph notched a season-best 16 kills and a .342 attack percentage
Box score.
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team opened the homecoming weekend with a bang, recording a 3-1 victory (25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-19) over the University of Toledo Friday night, Oct. 2, in Mid-American Conference foe action at the Convocation Center. The victory snapped the Eagles' eight-match losing skid and extend the team's dominance over the Rockets to 43-11 all-time.
The win ups the Green and White's record to 2-16 and 1-2 in league play, while Toledo drops to 1-2 in MAC play and 10-5 overall.
After an early see-saw exchange of points during the first set, the Eagles took control by scoring 15 of the last 23 points to win the set, 25-18. Senior outside hitter Victoria Randolph (Cincinnati, Ohio-Mount Notre Dame), playing in just her fourth match of the season since returning from a hand injury, paced her squad in the frame by posting four kills and scoring five points.
The second set saw the Eagles fall behind, 17-8. Kassie Kadera paced UT, recording 12 assists in the second tilt as the EMU was unable to recover, ultimately losing the set 25-19.
The Green and White started the third set aggressively, opening up with a 6-0 lead before the Rockets were able to get on the board. EMU would push the lead to 9-2 after a riveting unassisted kill by sophomore co-captain Ashley Mason (Eastlake, Ohio-Lake Catholic). UT clawed back in, getting as close as 12-10, but the young Eagles gelled at the right time scoring 13 of the last 19 points to take the set, 25-16.
Much like the first set, the teams played even to a 6-6 tie to open the final set. But Eastern, hungry for its first MAC home win of the season, went on an 8-2 run, including five straight points to push ahead, 15-8. A kill from Toledo's Sondra Payrs brought the Rockets to within five points, 20-15, before EMU finished off UT, 25-19, following consecutive scores by sophomore outside hitter Cassie Sowers (Williamsport, Ohio-Westfall) and true freshman outside hitter Rachel Iaquaniello (Plymouth, Mich.-Dearborn Divine Child), both assisted by Mason.
Mason finished the match assisting on 38 of Eastern's 94 points and posting a .375 kill percentage. Randolph posted team-highs with 16 kills (.342 kill percentage) and 17.5 points, while Iaquaniello scored 15 points and chipped in 14 kills.
The Eagles return to the floor Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center against Ball State University. Admission to the volleyball match is free with a ticket stub from the football game which will take place at Rynearson Stadium at 1 p.m. versus Temple University.
