JMU Spoiling Opponents’ Records
October 26, 2009 • By Colleen Hayes,
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Fresh off an emotionally-charged victory over conference leader Delaware on Friday, JMU volleyball was victorious once again, beating Towson 3-1 on Saturday night.
“We are aware we are not getting into the [Colonial Athletic Association] tournament,” JMU coach Disa Garner said. “Now we are basically making it our job to spoil the other teams’ chances.”
The Dukes (9-16 overall, 2-7 in CAA) barely lost the first game, 27-25. Service errors and lack of communication showed a lack of focus, but they matched the Tigers (8-16, 1-8) point-for-point until the end, thanks to junior middle blocker Jessica Zeroual.
“We try to be very vocal on the court, more for tactical purposes, as it creates momentum and helps us stay focused,” Zeroual said.
Zeroual was a rock for the team during all four games. She finished the night with 12 kills on 19 total attacks for a .526 kill percentage.
“Jessica was on fire tonight,” Garner said. “She is a strong player, and her numbers reflect that.”
In the second game, Towson made multiple service errors at the start of the set to give JMU an early 2-0 lead and control of the game. Junior outside hitter Lindsay Callahan stepped up, putting her body on the line, diving all over the court and making huge saves to keep the ball alive.
“Lindsay really rallied and pulled us out of a lull in that set to switch our momentum,” Garner said. “She is a leader and should be one of our captains.”
The last point of the game was a lengthy rally. Finally, freshman outside hitter Natalie Abel hit the ball with her back facing the Tigers, a risky move that won the second game for the Dukes 25-21.
“Our freshmen took a big step tonight,” Garner said, “and sometimes you just have to wait to see signs of improvement, and they have definitely turned that corner.”
The Dukes’ confidence carried into the third game. Freshman outside hitter Danielle Erb made several lightning-fast serves to rattle the Tigers. Finishing the night with 12 kills, Erb took care of the ball fearlessly whenever it was at the net. She also had 11 digs to complete her double-double on the night.
Miscommunication at the net, service errors and lack of defensive pressure allowed the Tigers to creep in and tie the game a few times, but the Dukes rallied and won 25-19.
“Having a young team sometimes hurts us mentally,” Callahan said, “but now we believe we can win, and we are.”
In the fourth game, the Tigers brought the heat by using smart plays to fool the Dukes.
Towson outside hitter Amanda Halls jumped, as if she was going to spike the ball hard and fast, yet lightly tapped it over the net for an easy point. But Callahan and Erb connected multiple times, digging deep to set each other up for kills.
The Dukes finished 25-19 to win the match.
“The best part of this win for me was fighting all night and winning — such satisfaction after winning against Delaware,” Callahan said. “We plan to knock out more teams and want to finish 7-7.”
The Dukes take on Georgia State on Friday and UNC Wilmington on Saturday, both at home.
contact Colleen Hayes at hayescp@jmu.edu
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