Volleyball Blocks Troy State :: Bulldogs win A-Sun opener 3-2

Sept. 29, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Stefanie Pickett and Krista Kettering combined for back-to-back blocks on the final two points of the match to give Samford a 15-13 win in game five and a 3-2 win over Troy State in the Atlantic Sun opener for both teams at Seibert Hall Saturday afternoon.

Samford (4-8, 1-0) set a school-record by recording 20 team blocks in the match. Pickett and Whitney Miller each had eight blocks, Shellie Ouldhouse recorded seven and Angela Smith and Kettering had five each. Miller led the Bulldogs with a match-high 27 kills and recorded 13 digs for her third-straight double-double. Abby Miner had 14 kills and 14 digs for her second consecutive double-double. Smith chipped in 12 kills for the Bulldogs who have won three of their last four matches and two in a row for the first time this season.

Troy State (4-6, 0-1) had three players post double-doubles led by Rachel Hassan who posted 20 kills and 19 digs, Erika Vanhootegem had 13 kills and 10 digs, and Haven Triboulet recorded 12 kills and 15 digs.

"That was a great win," said Samford head coach Vickie Nichols. "Everybody is stepping up and doing their job. It is never easy against Troy but we have grown up a lot in these last two matches."

Game five was in debut right to end. Troy State led by as many as three points at 6-3, before Samford tied it at 10-10. Troy State sided out to 13-12, before a kill by Miller tied it at 13. The Lady Trojans set Vanhootegem and Julie Leslie on the last to swings but they were both blocked by Pickett and Kettering.

The Bulldogs took the three odd games winning game one 30-24, game three 30-15, and the finale 15-13. TSU won game two 30-26 and game four 30-28. Troy State had five game points in game four leading 29-24. The Bulldogs fought off four of them to force a TSU timeout at 29-28, but a missed serve after the timeout forced the fifth game.

Samford set a season-high with 82 digs in the match led by Kettering with 18. The Bulldogs out hit the Lady Trojans .201-.100 and had three more aces than TSU.

Samford will step out of conference play on Tuesday to host Mississippi State in a 7 p.m. match at Seibert Hall. Troy State will face Birmingham-Southern on Tuesday.