Volleyball Keeps Rolling with Two Wins at Dutch Country Spiketacular; Pierce Notches Career Dig No. 1,500
Sept. 8, 2006
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - With a pair of victories over Salem International and C.W. Post at the Dutch Country Spiketacular in Millersville, Pa., Friday, the Shippensburg volleyball team pushed its winning streak to nine matches and its overall record to 9-1, marking the best start since the program's first season in 1980.
Nine straight victories is the longest winning streak by a Shippensburg team since 1991, when the team led by coach Mike Shatzer won 11-straight matches. The feat was also accomplished in the program's innagural season after the team posted an 11-0 record.
On Friday, Shippensburg breezed through the opening match against Salem International, 30-25, 30-20, 30-17. Leading the way was reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Player of the Week Missy Pierce (Valparaiso, Ind./West Aurora (Ill.)), who totaled 12 kills, 10 digs and 3 service aces.
With her fifth dig of the match, Pierce tallied her 1,500th career dig, becoming just the second player in school history to reach that milestone. Former teammate and career digs leader Michelle Doughty is the only other.
Shippensburg also received solid play from freshman Colleen Toomey (Reading/Muhlenberg), who recorded seven kills, seven digs and four aces. Sophomore Maureen DuVall (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville), receiving her first extensive action of the season because of an early injury, tallied a team-high 19 assists.
In the second match of the day, the Lady Raiders edged C.W. Post in four games, 30-17, 30-27, 21-30, 30-28. It was just the second four-game match played by the Lady Raiders since their winning streak began on Aug. 25.
Once again, Pierce led the charge with 13 kills and 17 digs, bringing her career totals to 977 kills and 1,523 digs. Pierce stands just 23 kills shy of joining Doughty and 2004 graduate Alyssa Kilgore as the only players in Shippensburg history to register 1,000 career kills and digs. She currently stands in third place on the all-time kills list.
Toomey tallied 14 kills and 10 digs against C.W. Post, and senior Erin Graf (Laurel, Md./Atholton) tied a career high with 11 kills. She also chipped in four blocks. Freshman Cindel Young (McConnellsburg/Broadfoarding Christian) recorded eight kills and a career-high seven blocks. DuVall appeared to return to form with a season-high 40 assists.
The Lady Raiders will look to tie the school-record for consecutive wins on Saturday afternoon at the Dutch Country Spiketacular as they take on Dowling at 10 a.m. and Adelphi at 4 p.m.
- Lady Raider Volleyball -
