Alabama
San Francisco
Volleyball Drops Another Five Setter at Hornet Invitational
9/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 12, 2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The volleyball team lost its second 3-2 decision in as many matches Saturday when it took on San Francisco at the Hornet Invitational. With the loss, the Crimson Tide drops to 2-7 on the season, while the Dons improve to 4-5 overall. Despite the loss, Alabama had a season-high tying 15 blocks.
Leading the Tide on offense was sophomore Ashley Frazier with 17 kills. Junior Kayla Schmidt topped the setting duo for the second match of the tournament with 24 assists, while freshman Kelsey Anderson was Alabama's leader in digs yet again with 17 scoops. Both junior Calli Johnson and redshirt sophomore Sarah Machen had a hand in seven blocks.
Alabama took the early 1-0 lead off an error from San Francisco, but the Dons then scored the next three points to take the 3-1 edge. The Tide inched its way back tying the score at 4-4 thanks to a pair of kills from freshman Kayla Fitterer and one from sophomore Ashley Frazier. San Francisco answered with four-consecutive points which sparked the Dons 9-2 run. San Francisco continued to build on its lead pulling in front by as many as eight. Alabama cut its deficit to five on two occasions, but that's as close as it would get for the set.
In the second, the Tide opened with a 4-0 run that included back-to-back blocks from redshirt freshman Leigh Moyer and Machen. Alabama remained in control for the duration of the set never allowing the Dons to come within three points of the lead. Following a 9-2 run, the Tide took its largest advantage of the set bringing the score to 24-14. On the next play, Machen sealed the win in the second with an unassisted kill.
Alabama found itself down early in the third by as many as six, but steadily got back into the set thanks to a few good swings on the ball and some solid defense at the net. After a pair of ties part way through, a solo block by Frazier put the Tide back in control of the lead. Just when it looked the Alabama was going to pull away for good, San Francisco came back and used a handful of kills to take the 24-22 lead. The Tide was able to avoid the Dons' first set point attempt behind a kill from freshman Kayla Fitterer. Junior Mary Catherine Aune, then, delivered another one of her stellar serves for an ace to tie the score at 24-24. The Alabama block would prove to be lethal once again as Frazier and Johnson teamed up at the net to put the Tide in front 25-24. An attack error for San Francisco on the next play awarded Alabama the 26-24 win in the third and a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Tide got out quickly in the fourth with a 3-0 lead topped off by a solo block from Machen, but the Dons would, again, chip away at their deficit to get back in the set. San Francisco took its first lead of the frame off an Alabama error which brought the score to 9-8. The Dons controlled much of the middle portion of the set, but the Tide would not go away and eventually got within striking distance after having been down by as many as six. With set point on the line for San Francisco, Moyer delivered a blow to the center of the court to cut the lead to two at 24-22. A pair of crucial attack errors for the Dons tied it up at 24-24, but they were able to come back and lay down a kill for their fourth set point attempt. A service error would tie things up just one more time as San Francisco capitalized on a block and Alabama attack error to take the set 27-25.
In the fifth set it was all Dons as they rapidly jumped out to a 5-1 advantage forcing the Tide sideline to take a time out. San Francisco continued to fire from all cylinders for the duration of the set and used several Alabama errors to finish off the Tide by a score of 15-5.
The Tide wraps up play at the Hornet Invitational tonight when it takes on host institution Sacramento State at 7:30 p.m. (CST). The Hornets opened their tournament with a 3-0 loss to San Francisco.
