Ship Wins Thrilling Five-Game Match With First-Place ESU

Oct. 4, 2005

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Behind a total team effort, the Shippensburg University volleyball team pulled out a tough five-game match at home against East Stroudsburg University on Tuesday night at Heiges Field House, 30-28, 27-30, 30-28, 23-30, 15-13. The Warriors entered the match tied for first-place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division.

The win snaps a two-match losing streak for the Lady Raiders (12-12, 3-2 PSAC East) and evened their record at .500 for the season.

By virtue of Shippensburg's win and Kutztown University's win over Millersville University, there is now a five-way tie for first-place in the PSAC Eastern Division between the Lady Raiders, East Stroudsburg, Millersville, West Chester and Kutztown as all five teams have identical 3-2 conference records. West Chester also defeated Cheyney University this evening, 3-0.

Freshman Kelsi Hoffman (York, Pa./West York) set a new school record with 42 digs, breaking the previous record of 40 which she set earlier this season at Kutztown on September 17. In 73 games, she has totaled 487 digs, an average of 6.67 per game.

Last season, junior teammate Missy Pierce (Valparaiso, Ind./West Aurora (IL)) set the single-season school record with 512 digs. Pierce also held the school's single-match record with 39 digs set last season at West Chester University on October 19 before Hoffman broke it this year.

As evidence of the team's balanced attack, Shippensburg had six players total at least six kills. Pierce, senior Michell Doughty (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and freshman Ashleigh Helfrick (Greencastle, Pa./James Buchanan) each had a team-high 14 kills. Freshman Kelly Dirks (Enola, Pa./Cumberland Valley) added nine kills for the Lady Raiders.

Tonight's match was closely contested as in each of the first three games, the two teams found themselves tied at 20-20. In the first game, Shippensburg pulled ahead 29-25 on two kills, a service ace and a hitting error by East Stroudsburg (12-6-, 3-2 PSAC East) before the Lady Raiders edged out a 30-28 victory.

Game two say the Warriors hold a slim two-point lead, 26-24, before sweeping the final four points for the 30-26 victory.

The win in game three for Shippensburg was due in large part to the play of Doughty who made four consecutive spectacular plays to give her team a 23-20 lead. With the score tied, Doughty ran into her own bench to keep the ball in play before ending the rally with a kill.

Doughty then followed the kill with back-to-back service aces to give the Lady Raiders their three-point margin. However, East Stroudsburg would take advantage of a Shippensburg service and blocking error to tie the game at 28-28, but Doughty ended any Warrior hopes of a comeback win, ending the game with two-straight kills for the 30-28 victory.

East Stroudsburg dominated the tempo in game four, leading by as many as six before posting a 30-27 win to force a fifth game.

The Warriors jumped to an 8-4 lead in game five, but the Lady Raiders battled back to tie the game at 12-12 before a kill by Doughty brought Shippensburg to match point, 14-12. Following a hitting error, East Stroudsburg called a timeout trailing by one. On the first play out of the timeout, the Warriors served the ball into the net, giving the Lady Raiders the 15-13 victory and the match.

In addition to the team's balanced offensive attack, Shippensburg had a strong defensive effort, totaling 162 digs. Led by Hoffman's 42 digs, Pierce had 28, Doughty 27, Helfrick 25 and freshman Maureen DuVall (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) totaled 24. DuVall also added 49 assists and six kills.

The Lady Raiders travel to PSAC Western Division member Slippery Rock University this weekend for a conference crossover. Shippensburg will play Indiana University (Pa.) on Friday at 7:15 p.m., before facing California University (Pa.) and Slippery Rock on Saturday.

- Lady Raider Volleyball -