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Bulldogs Open Falcon Invitational with 3-0 Win Over SEMO
Sept. 2, 2005
In opening round action of the Air Force Academy Falcon Invitational, Butler continued its hot play with a three-game sweep of Southeast Missouri State. Junior Susana Henri posted the first double-double of the 2005 campaign with 12 kills and 15 digs, as the Bulldogs scored their third straight sweep to open the season. Butler improves to 3-0 with the 30-24, 30-19, 31-29 win. SEMO falls to 1-3. Butler used seven straight points on freshman Nina Inic's serve to turn a 9-8 lead into a 16-8 advantage in the opening frame. Butler held that lead as they went on to a 30-24 first-game win. SEMO jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the second game before Butler battled back to tie the game at 12. Inic was once again on the service line as Butler turned a 15-13 lead into a 20-13 margin. A Krystal Hendrix kill closed out the frame. In a tightly-contested third game, neither team held an advantage of larger than three points. Down 27-25, Butler got a kill from Hendrix and a service ace from sophomore Laura White to pull even. The teams then traded points until consecutive hitting errors by SEMO's Jessica Koeper gave the Bulldogs a 31-29 win. Henri had a solo block on match point. Butler hit .131 for the match, compared to .027 for the Redhawks. SEMO hit .000 in the opening game and posted a -.025 mark in the second stanza. Butler held a 10-6 advantage in blocks and forced the Redhawks into 34 attack errors. Senior Candice Washington and sophomore Michelle DeGeeter each had a team-high four blocks in the contest.
White led the Bulldogs with 16 digs, while senior libero Megan Knightly had 13. It was Knightly's 33rd straight double-figure dig performance. DeGeeter's nine kills were second only to Henri's total. Freshman Dana Daprile ran the Bulldog offense and handed out a career-high 36 assists to go along with three kills. Koeper led the Redhawks with 13 kills and Lauren Scannell had a match-high 23 digs. The Bulldogs continue play in the invitational later tonight with a 7 p.m. (MST) contest against the host Falcons. Depending on the result, Butler will play at either 1 or 3 p.m. (MST) Saturday against an opponent from the opposite pool. Those teams include No. 10 Wisconsin, Weber State and San Jose State. Live stats for the match will be provided on www.butlersports.com. |
