Box Score
By: Christopher Streeter, VSU Sports Information
Ettrick, VA (Daniel Gymnasium)- The Lady Trojans volleyball team hosted the Hawks of Chowan University in their home opener of the 2012 season. Excitement filled the venue as Daniel gymnasium grew with anticipation for the home debut of the new Lady Trojans volleyball team. The opening set started off very evenly matched as VSU's Nikkisha Walker (Sr./ St. Louis, MO) set the tempo with three early kills in the match.
Chowan jumped back into the game with a few miscues on the part of the Lady Trojans. These mishaps allowed the Hawks to creep back into the game, eventually taking the lead and winning the first set 25-23.
In the second set Chowan maintained momentum and jumped out to a quick 9-3 lead. Midway through the second set the Lady Trojans picked up the intensity and made a run, but the deficit was insurmountable. VSU's Jenessa Shinauld (So./ Sacramento, CA) kept her team in the game with several clutch defensive digs. Chowan fought off the off the Lady Trojans rally and won the set, 25-16.
At the beginning of the third period it was evident that a sense of urgency came over the Lady Trojans facing elimination, down 2-0. Virginia State opened up the set with an array of kills as Jasmine Davis (Sr./Oakton, VA) exuded Trojan Pride and single handedly changed the momentum of the game. Davis had a total of nine kills in this set. The Trojans jumped out to an early lead and were able to play well enough to fight of the Hawks winning the third set 25-23.
“We weren't playing our game. We needed to settle down and run our offense,” comments VSU's head volleyball coach Ivana Rich. The momentum took a drastic turn in favor of the Lady Trojans as their offense put them in position to tie the match at two sets a piece. Lady Trojans setter, Jasmine Henderson (Jr./ St. Louis, MO) assisted Jasmine Davis on several kills as Davis dominated the fourth period. The Lady Trojans defense increased and the offense was finally clicking, with a 25-18 win to tie the match at 2-2.
With the match tied up at two games apiece the Lady Trojans continued to ride their defensive wave of momentum. Shinauld put on a defensive clinic diving all across the gymnasium floor giving the Trojans endless effort with a game-high 33 digs. This effort spread throughout the team as Virginia State battled point for point with Chowan throughout the entire fifth set. The score was tied up nine times and the lead changed five times, but the Hawks came away with the win 15-13. This was an extremely evenly matched game as Chowan defeated Virginia State 3-2.
VSU's Whitley Bradley (Rs.-So/ Cibilo, TX) led with 16 kills, while Davis and Aubree Parker (Jr./ Fort Pierce, FL) collected 12 kills each. Henderson recorded a game-high 48 assists leading her Lady Trojan teammates to 59 kills.
VSU falls to 4-1, 1-1 in CIAA conference play while the Hawks remain undefeated in conference play with a 7-0 record. The Lady Trojans will host Virginia University of Lynchburg on Tuesday, Sept. 26thinside Daniel Gymnasium.
