Koster Breaks School Record for Career Digs; Volleyball 0-2 on Sunday
SHERMAN, Texas – The University of Dallas volleyball team (7-10, 2-5 SCAC) dropped two matches on Sunday to complete a 2-2 split in the weekend SCAC Cross-Divisional hosted at Austin College. Both matches were set sweeps starting with fifth ranked Southwestern University (16-0, 6-0 SCAC) and a Trinity University (12-3, 6-1 SCAC) that was first to blemish third ranked Colorado College the previous day.
The Crusaders Jessie Koster (Sherwood, Ore.) etched her name in the school record books for the program early in the day. The senior libero is now the all-time leader in career digs with 2,472. She surpassed future UD hall of famer Kelli Fuentes ('10) on her fourth dig in the first match of the day. Fuentes, who will be inducted on November 13 to the Dallas Hall of Fame, held the previous mark with 2,438 career digs.
Koster, who entered the weekend as the NCAA Division III and SCAC leader in digs per game (7.20) and total digs (352), broke individual season records in digs per game (6.69) and total digs (790) during 2015 season. She also is the all-time leader in career digs per game with a 5.56-clip. After the quartet of matches just played, Koster boasts 2,472 career digs in her four-year stint with the Crusaders.
MATCH VS. #5 SOUTHWESTERN
Set Scores: L 3-0 | (18-25, 17-25, 26-28)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind four points to begin the opening set, Dallas rattled three points in a row to cut the top five AVCA Pirates' lead to one. It was as close as the Crusaders got in that set, as Southwestern demonstrated why it is unblemished on the year and swung a 9-2 scoring stretch to gain control. This included five unanswered points to open a 13-5 advantage.
Krystyn Pua (Escondido, Calif.) started UD on a better foot in the second set with a service ace, but that was the Crusaders only time up after the Pirates scored four straight that started with a kill by their Haley Moffett. Seven of the next eight points were etched by SU to create a 6-2 lead. The Navy and White countered with four straight points including back-to-back aces by Mairin Guilfoyle (Roanoke, Va.) Diana Hassink (Tulsa, Okla.) capped the run with a kill to knot the scoreboard 6-all. The Crusaders never overtook the ranked Southwestern squad despite later evening the score 12-12 on a kill by Mary Scholz (Fallon, Nev.), which capped another string of four UD points. The Pirates pulled away for good on a 9-1 run.
The deciding set was the closest in the match. This third frame resulted in 13 ties and six lead changes with both starting from the onset. Southwestern's largest advantage was five at a few junctures and appeared to be off to an easy straight sweep. The resilient Crusaders trailed 20-15 and went on a huge 8-1 scoring run that involved five unanswered to lift them up 23-21. Guilofyle, who was part of UD's 6-0 run to seal the final set win Saturday, registered three kills with consecutive ones after a Hassink ace to complete the outburst. Southwestern scored twice in a row to bring the score 23-all. Dallas went up a point, but two more points on the Pirates' side gave them a 26-25 edge. Guilfoyle scored her fifth kill which countered towards as many of the final UD points and six of the last seven. That result knotted the thrilling set 26-26, but the unbeaten Pirates took the next two points to triumph.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Guilfoyle produced her second straight match (at the time) with a game-high 16 kills. The mark is the third highest total this fall for the senior outside hitter and third time to notch the number.
- Guilfoyle also led with 19.0 points and was lone Crusader to break double-digits in that column. Scholz and Hassink added six kills each.
- Koster managed 25 digs while Hassink followed with 16 and Elizabeth Smith (Broken Arrow, Okla.) displayed a double-double with 13.
- Smith's other part of the double-double was 23 assists.
- Southwestern hit a .273 kill percentage in the second set.
- Haley Yu and Kate Mitchell each posted nine kills for team-bests. Nikki Welch had 35 of the team's 38 assists.
- Mitchell and Haven Cathey both had three blocks and the team totaled 10 overall compared to UD's seven.
- Both teams had 65 digs.
MATCH VS. TRINITY
Set Scores: L 3-0 | 13-25, 16-25, 9-25)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dallas struggled against a difficult opponent that completed a 4-0 weekend sweep including a win the other day against third ranked Colorado College in four sets. The Crusaders kept pace in the middle frame, tying the match at 1-1 with Guilfoyle's kill. After three Trinity points in a row, UD answered with a quartet of points that included Kennedy Bradley (Groesbeck, Texas) with a kill and Smith with a service ace on the final two. The Tigers copied the run with four points of their own and went ahead by three. Dallas cut the gap to a pair on two occasions (10-8, 15-13), but were unable to keep pace.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Guilfoyle led the team with eight kills.
- Smith had 15 assists and Koster made 12 digs.
- Trinity hit at least .391 in all three sets, including .516 in the final one.
- Kirby Smith and Jade Schoenberger broke double figures in kills for TU with 12 and 10, respectively. Smith (12-18) smacked a .667 kill percentage and Schoenberger (10-14) posted a .571-clip.
- Erika Edrington had 34 assists.
UP NEXT
After playing each conference team once now the past two weekends, Dallas will venture out of the league in a Tri-Tournament on Thursday, September 29. The Crusaders take on University of Texas at Tyler at 5 p.m. for the third time on a neutral court hosted by LeTourneau University. Dallas faces the host school at 7 p.m.