KSU’s volleyball team couldn’t have asked for a better start to its season, as they went 3-0 for the weekend, taking down Louisiana Monroe, Jackson State and Mississippi State to win the Maroon Classic on Aug. 25 in Starkville, Ms.
The Owls’ performance yielded the team’s first tournament victory in the program’s short history. Head coach Karen Weatherington was ecstatic with her team’s performance and was pleased everyone shared the load.
“It was such a great way to start the season,” Weatherington. “Even the kids we didn’t have in the game were great. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Against Louisiana Monroe on Friday, The Owls seemed to have everything under control, winning in four sets (25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 25-12). KSU had a solid offensive performance, led by redshirt senior Turea Jones, junior Emily Bean and senior Baylee Strachan. Jones was able to achieve her first double-double of the season with 16 kills and 23 digs, while Bean followed with 13 kills and Strachan with 12 kills.
Overall, the whole team put forth a valiant effort. Teammate Camille Pedraza, the Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Libero of the Year, did her part with a team leading 26 digs. Junior Sara Metroka, distributed her generosity throughout the match with 47 assists.
“We have a lot of depth and we’re a very exciting team to watch,” Weatherington said.
On Saturday, Jackson State posed no problem for the Owls, as KSU cruised past the Tigers in four sets (25-9, 22-25, 25-14, 25-20). Despite an explosive offensive performance by Jackson State in the second set, The Owls were still able to shut down their opponent’s senior outside hitter Christine Edwards, who was held to just six kills and a .000 attack percentage.
For KSU’s Metroka, she had another impressive outing with 32 assists and six kills to end the match. Coach Weatherington could say nothing but good things about her junior setter.
“Sara had another terrific game,” Weatherington said. “She spread the ball well and gave our attackers a lot of chances to be successful.”
With the finish line in sight, the Southeastern Conference’s Mississippi State Bulldogs, the host of the tournament, were all that was left for the Owls on the Saturday doubleheader. The match proved to be no walk in the park for KSU in a five-set thriller. The Owls began the match by falling, 22-25, in the first set after a solid blocking performance by the Bulldogs.
KSU then got its act together, taking the second set 25-18 with the help of Bean’s two kills and Jones’s cross-court winner to end the set. The Owls even came back from a 20-18 deficit to eventually win the third set, 25-23. Strachan was able to close the door on the Bulldogs with two straight crucial kills.
With the match tied up two-sets a piece after Mississippi State took the fourth set 25-21, KSU finished off Mississippi State 15-11 in the extra fifth set to win the match (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 15-11) to capture the Maroon Classic title. The Owls only trailed once in the fifth set.
Junior libero Camille Pedraza had a career high 31 digs and earned All-Tournament honors with 78 digs total. Metroka was named Tournament MVP with a combined 137 assists and 14 kills for the weekend. Metroka’s assist to sophomore Keyaira Stevenson for the kill was the final play of the match.
“We executed our plays and displayed classic leadership,” Weatherington said. “Sara did such a great job distributing the ball and made smart decisions. Turea was huge like we knew she could be and Keyaira added the spark we needed; then Baylee was steady as always.”
KSU’s next stop will be in Savannah, Ga. for the Savannah State Tournament on Friday, Aug. 31.