Volleyball Drops Season Opener to Alabama, 3-1
8/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score (.html)
NORMAN, Okla. - The Seton Hall volleyball team dropped its season opener to Alabama, 3-1 (30-22, 27-30, 30-28, 30-20) at the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational. The Pirates had outstanding individual performances by sophomoreAllie Matters (North Tonowanda, N.Y.) and freshman Sarah Osmun (Crystal Lake, Ill.).
Matters tied a career-high with 22 kills and added 19 digs to earn her 12th career double-double. Osmun, in her collegiate debut, also tallied 22 kills on 60 attack attempts.
Game one remained close until Alabama went on an 8-1 run to take an 18-11 lead. Osmun's seven kills kept Seton Hall close, but it was not enough as the Tide took the frame, 30-22.
Alabama broke away 12-6 early in the second game, but the Pirates rattled off seven of the next eight points to tie the game at 13-13. After trading the next several points, Seton Hall finally took a 21-20 lead on blocks by seniors Kelly Widders (Dublin, Ohio) and Kristen Denboer (Loveland, Colo.). The Pirates extended the advantage to 26-23 when the Tide regrouped to tie the game at 27-27. Another Osmun kill gave SHU the lead back for good as the Pirates tied the match at one game apiece.
In the third set, Seton Hall fell behind 11-7, but stormed back to take a 15-14 lead. Alabama grabbed the lead back on their way to scoring four straight to make it 18-15. The Pirates came back to tie the game twice, but the Tide regained the edge and were serving for the game at 29-25. Seton Hall capitalized on three straight Alabama errors to come within a point, but a Tide kill clinched the game, 30-28.
After another close start, Alabama pulled away in game four and sealed the match with a 30-20 win to improve to 1-0 on the season.
Junior Brittany Rahrer (Fort Wayne, Ind.) dished out 52 assists, and junior Breanna Leisner (Bloomington, Ill.) posted 22 digs.
The Pirates return to action at the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 25 with two matches against No. 22 Oklahoma at 11:00 a.m. and Denver at 6:00 p.m.
