Oct. 8, 2011
Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford Bulldogs extended their home win streak to seven matches with a thrilling 3-1 victory over SoCon North Division rival Elon on Saturday. The teams split the first two sets and Samford won a long third set and a short fourth set to earn their first four-set victory of the season.
"It was a very good weekend for Samford volleyball," said Head Coach Derek Schroeder. "That was a family win. A lot of teams use the term `family' to describe their environment but I really feel like we are a special group and the girls really stepped up to defend one of their own in this match.
"Individually, Michaela Reesor and Chelsi Carter had a great match. When both of your freshmen are hitting double-doubles, that shows a great level of all-around talent."
The Samford (17-3, 4-2 SoCon) defense was strong, out-blocking Elon (13-7, 2-3 SoCon) 8-4 and limiting the Phoenix to a .138 hitting percentage. Carter and Reesor both earned double-doubles in the match, notching season-highs in kills at 12 and 15, respectively. Elizabeth Neisler was the point-leader for the home team, tallying 20 points behind a team-leading 19 kills and one solo block.
Tied at 7-7 in the first set, Neisler hit three kills in a row to put the Bulldogs up 10-7 and force the first Elon timeout. The Phoenix closed the gap, tying the game at 15-15, but an Elon service error and a Carter service ace gave Samford back the two-point lead. Samford would maintain that two-point lead and at the 20-point mark, they would make a 5-2 run with Katie Murphy taking the final point in the 25-20 victory.
Elon bounced back at the start of the second set, jumping to an early 8-4 lead forcing Samford to take a timeout. The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit, eventually drawing within two, 13-15, thanks to two Elon attack errors prior to a Phoenix timeout. Elon set a relentless pace out of the break, jumping ahead 23-18 and looking for the victory. A kill by Reesor on the next point started a Bulldog comeback, with Reesor hitting another kill later to bring Samford within one, down 22-23. Elon earned the next point to set up set-point, but Samford answered back with two to tie it at 25-25. However, Elon knocked in two in a row after that and ended the long set with a 27-25 win.
Set three also ended 27-25, but this time it was in the Bulldogs' favor. Down 2-4 early, Samford took five consecutive points to jump up 7-4 and force an Elon timeout. Elon later regained the lead, 11-10, thanks to a four-point rally, but back-to-back kills by Neisler and Reesor gave Samford back the lead, 12-11. Samford maintained a slim lead for the rest of the set, with Reesor putting the Bulldogs up 24-23 with a kill off an Elon serve to give the Bulldogs possession at set point. The Phoenix would tie the game up two more times, but Neisler and Hutchinson hit back-to-back kills to make the final score 27-25 and set up Samford's first four-set victory of the season.
The final set proved the most decisive one of the match, but it began neck-and-neck with Samford only able to earn as much as a three-point lead. Up 10-8, the Bulldogs turned on the afterburners and went on a 7-0 run, taking advantage of multiple Elon attack errors to go up 17-8 and force an Elon timeout. Elon grabbed a point after the break, but Samford answered back with three more to move up 20-9. Up 23-12, Murphy knocked in the final two kills of the match to wrap up a crucial division victory with a 25-12 fourth set win.
The Samford Bulldogs host the College of Charleston on Friday, Oct. 14 in the annual Dig Pink game, honoring all those who have fought or are currently fighting breast cancer.
