October 20, 2009

RedStorm volleyball loses fourth straight

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm women's volleyball team tried to change their current misfortune on Tuesday night at the Newt Oliver Arena against arch-rival Shawnee State University. Rio was unsuccessful in its attempt as the current losing skid moved to four in a row, falling in straight sets, 25-12, 25-15 and 25-18.

Rio Grande (12-15) was led by freshman middle hitter Erin Sherman (South Webster, OH) with eight kills. She also registered one solo block and four block assists. Freshman outside hitter Whitney Smith (Albany, OH) was held in check with only five kills, but managed to lead the defensive effort with 13 digs.

Junior middle blocker Rachel Walker (Ironton, OH) teamed with Sherman to cause Shawnee State some difficulty at the net, producing one solo block and four block assists.

Junior libero Jacquie Whittle (Chillicothe, OH) also reached double figures in digs for the RedStorm with 10 while junior setter Ashley Bloom (Columbus, OH) handed out nine assists.

Shawnee State (23-3), who garnered 33 votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, improved its winning streak to 17 consecutive matches in a row.

The Lady Bears had three players reach double figures in kills led by Heather Koehler with 16. Kim Rosen followed up with 13 kills and Jami Turrill added 11. Turrill also played well on the defensive side of the net, recording 14 digs and two solo blocks on the night.

Tiffany Dailey paced the Lady Bear defense with 30 digs and Haley Halcomb had 11 digs to go along with 45 assists. 

"Honestly, our biggest problem tonight has been our problem most of the season, but tonight was really bad, six was a bad number for us, because they went on so many runs of six serves in a row that we could not get side out," said Rio Grande head coach Billina Donaldson. "We should be a side out team, we've got personnel that can pass, set, kill the ball and we're not doing it."

"I don't know where it's coming from," Donaldson added. "We've tried to fix it, we concentrate on it in practice and we let teams go on runs of six points and you can never win a game when teams go on more than one six-point stretch." 

Donaldson did praise her front line for the blocks they produced. "I've got three unbelievable blockers in Kati Moore, Rachel Walker and Erin Sherman," Donaldson said. "When they're blocking, it's very evident that it changed their hitter's game and that's our key, we want to go every night and change their game instead of us having to change ours. I feel like our front row did that for us tonight." 

Rio Grande will venture on a long road trip to Houston, TX for a quad match. Rio will face Loyola University on Friday (October 23) at 5 p.m. before challenging Embry-Riddle and St. Thomas University on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 12 Noon respectively.