Samford University
Mercer
Samford Sweeps Mercer, 3-0, to Stay Undefeated
9.9.11 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 9, 2011
ATLANTA, Ga. ---- The Samford Bulldogs (8-0) remain undefeated, continuing the best start in program history with a 3-0 victory Friday in Atlanta, Ga., against the Mercer Bears (1-7). This is their best eight-game start in program history. The previous best came in Head Coach Derek Schroeder's first season, 2008, with a 6-2 start.
With 11 kills in 13 total attempts, Katie Murphy hit an impressive .846 percent, breaking a school record nearly as old as herself. The previous school best of .823 was set by Dana Palmer on October 1, 1991, less than two months after Murphy was born. Lauren Hutchinson led the team in kills with 17 in 32 total attempts (.406), with Elizabeth Neisler close behind with 12. The Bulldogs were out-blocked for only the second time this season, but held the edge in digs, 55-37, with Alexis Bauer (14) and Chelsi Carter (12) both in double-digits.
The first set was the Bulldogs' most decisive one so far this season, with Samford winning 25-10. It was a back-and-forth affair in the beginning until, down 6-7, the Bulldogs started to pull away. Carter maintained an impressive eight-consecutive successful services followed by Bauer with five of her own ultimately putting Samford up 20-8. Neisler regained possession for the Bulldogs, putting them up 23-10 and Carter and Hutchinson put away the final two kills of the set to win game one.
Game two was more tightly contested than the first. Samford never lost the lead, though the Bulldogs never led by more than four points the entire set. Tied 11-11, Hutchinson and Neisler looked to put some distance between the teams, earning three combined kills and teaming up for an assisted block to put the Bulldogs ahead 15-11, forcing a Mercer timeout. The Bears narrowed the defecit to 19-18 at one point, but Samford regained the lead and maintained it until the set ended at 25-22.
In similar fashion to the first set, the third game saw Samford jump to an 11-8 lead, forcing a Mercer timeout. After two Mercer points, Hutchinson regained possession for the Bulldogs to set up a four-point service run by Neisler to give Samford a six-point lead. Back-to-back service errors gave Samford ball possession, allowing them to extend the lead to 20-11. Up 24-14 looking for the decisive point, Mercer refused to go down quietly, drawing as close as 24-18 before Neisler sealed the victory and the 25-18 win.
Samford continues competition tomorrow, first facing Georgia at 9:30 a.m. CT. The Bulldogs will then play in the final game of the tournament, facing host team Georgia Tech at 6 p.m.
