BOX SCORE
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Career-best efforts from several players pushed Morehead State volleyball past Davidson Saturday morning. The Eagles (2-1) outlasted the Wildcats (0-2) in a five-set affair, taking the match with set scores of 25-16, 23-25, 25-17, 23-25, and 15-11.
Leading the numerous career-bests for Morehead State was junior outside hitter
Lauren Rokey. Rokey slammed home a career-high 22 kills on 38 swings. She committed just two errors to swing an outstanding .526 from the outside.
Additional career-high kill totals dotted the box score as sophomore middle blocker
Hannah Keating tied her career-best mark with 14 kills while freshman outside hitter
Abby Hulsman notched the first six kills of her career. Keating finished the match with a .455 hitting percentage out of the middle while Hulsman connected at a .385 clip.
Also in double-figures for Morehead State were junior outside hitter
Olivia Lohmeier who registered 14 kills while sophomore middle blocker
Mia Swearingen added 10 of her own.
Directing the offense, freshman setter
Bridget Bessler passed out 50 helpers across the final four sets. Bessler's career-high assist total marks the most assists in a match for a true freshman since 2013 when
Bailey Nichol passed out 47 assists against Austin Peay. Bessler took the reins of offense following the first set, a set which saw redshirt junior
Chandler Clark dish out 12 assists.
Defensively, Morehead State had four back row players collect 10 or more digs for the second time this season. Sophomore libero
Allison Whitten once again reached double-figures, pacing the backline with 18 digs. Also in double-digits were redshirt sophomore
Taylor Hodges (14), redshirt senior
Danielle McCarson (13), and sophomore
Olivia Montelisciani (12).
At the net, Morehead State held Davidson to just a .193 hitting percentage, deterring eight total shots. A trio of Eagles collected three total blocks apiece with Keating, Rokey, and Swearingen leading the team. Bessler, Hulsman, and Lohmeier would also add a block apiece for the Eagles.
In the service game, Morehead State eclipsed last season's single-match high in service aces as the team landed 13 aces. Montelisciani led the match with six service aces—a career-high and the most by an Eagle in a match since 2016.
Following the season's opening weekend, Morehead State returns home to host the 2019 Eagle Challenge. The Eagles host Presbyterian, Georgia State, and Providence in the two-day event. First serve for all three Morehead State matches are set for 11 a.m. ET and 7 p.m. Friday (Presbyterian and Georgia State) and 12 p.m. Saturday (Providence).
QUOTING COACH GORDON
On the Cristi Curtis Volleyball Invitational...
"This was a really good tournament for us. Not necessarily because of the results, rather the experience we gained."
On the team's matches with Winthop and North Carolina A&T...
"We had opportunities to put away a veteran team on the road yesterday and didn't capitalize, yet refocused and efficiently executed a strong win."
On the team's match with Davidson...
"We had an early match today against a young but talented Davidson team that competes hard and battled through another five-setter."
On the play of the team's sophomore middle blockers Hannah Keating and Mia Swearingen...
"I was really pleased with the job that are middles did this weekend. Mia and Keat worked their tails off."
On the newcomers...
"We also had a lot of people step up at different times. It was encouraging to see the job that our new players did as well. Bridget was able to settle in and run a good offense today, and Abby connected well also."
Final thoughts...
"The key for us is what we do with these leassons this week in practice and how we get better moving forward."
