The MSU volleyball Bulldogs hosted the MSU/Microtel Classic Friday and Saturday at the Newell Grissom Building. The round robin tournament featured the Bulldogs, Arkansas-Little Rock (6-5), Tennessee-Martin (1-12) and Louisiana-Lafayette (3-6).
Although Mississippi State (9-1) won two matches and placed second in the tournament, they dropped their first game of the short season. Arkansas-Little Rock took home the championship trophy, and the loss to the Trojans has allowed State to see where they truly stand.
“This tournament was the hardest,” Orshi Kriegel said. “That’s an interesting thing because I thought we didn’t play against teams as good as we had in the past. I think we were tired, and I think it’s good that we were tired now, rather than next week because next week we start SEC play.”
MSU opens SEC play at home on Friday against the Florida Gators, ranked 7th in the nation.
“This weekend showed us some things we need to work on, but I think we’ll definitely be ready [for SEC play],” outside hitter Rachel Cooper said “Florida will be a good challenge and will show us where we stand in the SEC.”
Friday: MSU vs. UL-Lafayette
Before a crowd of approximately 275, MSU opened their stand in the tournament against the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette. The Bulldogs took
the match 3-0, with sets of 30-24, 30-18 and 30-22, earning their fifth shutout of the 2005 season.
“I was very pleased to see the fan support we had at Newell-Grissom tonight,” MSU head coach Tina Seals said after the match. “That’s the biggest crowd we’ve had in my two years back at State. It helped create a home court atmosphere and our players responded to it. Getting fan support is another one of the steps you need as you build up your program.”
Senior Rachel Cooper and sophomore Jamie Joyner combined for 32 kills.
“Rachel and Jamie had strong performances for us tonight,” Seals said. “Rachel has been solid throughout the season and Jamie has been getting better with each match.”
Cooper, who earlier this season was named SEC Player of the Week, a first in MSU volleyball history, earned seven of her kills in the deciding third game. The Roscoe, Ill., native has led MSU in kills in five of State’s first eight matches.
“I think our chemistry is really good right now,” Cooper said of the team. “We’re playing really well together. Everyone is stepping in and doing their part, on and off the court.”
Joyner, who hails from St. Louis, did much of her damage in the opening game, notching seven of her season-high 14 kills in the first period. She finished with a .455 hitting percentage. State had to overcome 10 service errors in the first period before cruising home on to the win.
Saturday: MSU vs. UT-Martin
Although a relatively thin crowd was present for the 9 a.m. Saturday opener, the Bulldogs kept their undefeated streak alive with a 3-0 shutout over the Skyhawks of Tennessee-Martin.
UT-Martin gave MSU all they could ask for in the first period, with State having to follow the “lead by two” rule of NCAA volleyball, and beating the anxious Skyhawks 32-30. The other two games of the match were somewhat dominated by the Bulldogs, with MSU winning 30-12 and 30-28 to attain their sixth shutout of the season.
Sophomore Eva Kriegel turned in her third triple-double of the year with a match-high 14 kills, 16 assists and 12 digs on a .600 hitting outing. Her older sister, junior Orshi Kriegel, registered a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. Kriegel broke a 30-30 tie with a pair of kills that lifted State to the win in the opening game.
Rachel Cooper added 12 kills, and Jamie Joyner notched 10. Senior Andrea Mead served for State’s final 11 points in a 30-12 romp in game two. In game three, State bolted to a 6-1 lead, fell behind briefly, and pulled away at the end for a match-clinching 30-28 win.
Saturday: MSU vs. UA-Little Rock
With the Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock boasting a 9-5 record, MSU knew that UALR would give them their toughest match of the Classic.
“We had four good teams in the tournament,” Seals said. “Our last match was a good match for us. UALR had a lot of good ball control, and a lot of experience. We fought, but unfortunately, we didn’t win that match. We’re really proud of how the girls fought, and how they’ve worked very hard this year.”
MSU opened the match with an impressive 30-19 win, with the help of Orshi Kriegel, who delivered eight of her match-high 24 kills in the first period.
In the second game, however, UALR seemed to be relentless, smashing the Bulldogs en route to a 30-23 win.
Game three featured UALR continuing their aggressiveness toward the Bulldogs and winning 30-27. State now had to win matches four and five.
State’s offense kicked into high gear, and was able to keep the match alive with a solid 30-20 win in game four. Rachel Cooper’s fourth kill of the period broke a 17-17 deadlock and the Bulldogs, hitting at a crisp .389 clip, tied the match at 2.
At one point in the fourth game, a thrilling moment for MSU fans occurred when Rachel Cooper dove for a ball out-of-bounds and landed on MSU’s sideline, sending chairs and equipment scattering. Cooper was able to save the ball, however, and came back to get the kill in that volley, earning a standing ovation from State fans.
Cooper recalls the play.
“[I was thinking,] ‘this ball is, first of all, not going to hit the floor, and second, it’s going to hit their floor.'”
Service errors proved to be what shot the Bulldogs in the foot in the deciding fifth game. MSU misfired on 20 serves during the entire match, five during the final game. The Trojans defeated State in the fifth game 15-13, taking the match and the tournament championship 3-2.