Kansas City
Oakland
'Roos Down Griz 3-2 In Home Opener
9/21/2012 10:58:00 PM | Volleyball
(Kansas City, Mo.) - Senior Emily Lucas and freshman Emma Hagedorn led the Kangaroo offensive attack as the Kansas City volleyball team (9-6, 2-1) opened up its 2012 home campaign with a 3-2 win over Summit League foe Oakland (8-6, 1-2).
In the match, Lucas (19) and Hagedorn (14) each finished with double figure kills, while freshman Taryn Miller set a new career-high with 28 digs in the back row.
The 'Roos fell behind in the match early, dropping the first set 25-19, but quickly rebounded with a 25-22 second set win to even the match at 1-1 heading into intermission.
In the set, Kansas City built a 7-4 lead on a Hagedorn kill, before stretching the lead to six at 19-13 on an Oakland error. The Golden Grizzlies, would slice the lead to two late at 23-21, but two more Hagedorn kills over the final three points sealed the win.
Coming out of the locker room, OU regained control of the match with a 25-18 third set win, but the Kangaroos would force a deciding fifth set with a 25-21 victory in the fourth.
UMKC fell behind 3-0 in the fourth set, before senior Brittany Fossier ended the rally with a kill that started a 7-1 run. Oakland, though, would battle back to reclaim the lead at 11-9 before building it to as many as three at 16-13. The 'Roos would answer with a 5-2 run, capped by an ace from freshman Jessica Hendin to tie the match at 18. Later, with the contest tied at 20, kills from Hagedorn and Lucas and an ace from freshman Nicole Wemhoff highlighted a 4-0 rally that brought the 'Roos to set point. After an OU kill, Hagedorn then sent the match to a fifth set with a kill on a Wemhoff assist.
In the deciding set, Oakland took a 2-0 lead, but UMKC responded with the next five points, including a pair of kills by Hendin, to go in front 5-2. Oakland would pull to within one at 9-8, but back-to-back kills from Hagedorn stretched the lead to three. Oakland would have one last rally to close to 12-11, but kills from Hendin and freshman Skyler Muff led the 'Roos to the 15-12 win.
Defensively, freshman Lindsay Zych registered 18 digs, while Lucas and Hendin added 16 and 13, respectively. At the net, Hagedorn finished with a team-high five, including two solo, of the Kangaroos' 13 blocks while senior Ella Meier also recorded five, with three solo.
Meier and, meanwhile, each notched 28 assists in the contest.
The Blue & Gold will back in action again on Sunday when they welcome in Fort Wayne to the Swinney Recreation Center for a 2 p.m. match
