Kansas City
Charlotte
Kangaroos Finish As Runner-Ups At Runnin? Bulldog Classic
9/8/2012 12:56:00 PM | Volleyball
Game One: Charlotte 3, Kansas City 2
In the opener against the 49ers, freshman Jessica Hendin paced the Kangaroos' offensive attack for the second straight game with 15 kills, but the effort would not be enough as the 'Roos would fall in five sets.
Charlotte grabbed the early lead in the match with a 25-23 first set victory, notching three of the final four points, but the 'Roos answered by taking the second set with an identical score of 25-23.
In the second set, Kansas City fell behind 3-0 and trailed by as many as five before back-to-back kills by senior Emily Lucas put UMKC in front for the first time at 21-20. Charlotte would tie the set at 21, but would never regain the lead as the 'Roos tied the match heading into intermission.
Coming out the break, the Kangaroos grabbed their first match lead with a 25-18 win in the third set. The 49ers scored two of the first three points, but a 9-3 run, including two kills and an ace by Hendin, put the 'Roos in front by five. UMKC would maintain its five point advantage late at 20-15 before a pair of kills each by freshmen Emma Hagedorn and Sydney Crimmins ended the set.
The UMKC lead, however, would not last for long, as the 49ers matched the 'Roos with a 25-18 fourth set win to force the deciding set.
In the final set, Charlotte registered three of the first four points and built its lead to 11-7 midway through the set. The 'Roos, though, scored the next three points on kills from senior Ella Meier and Hendin and an ace by freshman Lindsay Zych, to pull to within one, but the 49ers, notched four of the final points for the win.
For the 'Roos, Crimmins, Hagedorn and Lucas all finished with eight kills, while freshman Nicole Wemhoff recorded her second consecutive double-double with 25 assists and 13 digs.
Defensively, Miller led the 'Roos with 19 digs and Lucas added 17, while senior Brittany Fossier led the 'Roos at the net with four blocks and Hagedorn added three solos.
Game Two: Kansas City 3, Delaware State 1
In the final match of the tournament, the Kangaroos claimed runner-up status with a 3-1 win over Delaware State behind 14 kills each from Muff and Hendin.
The 'Roos fell behind by four early in the first set, but a kill by Hagedorn gave Kansas City its first lead at 14-13. UMKC would push its lead to six at 24-18 on a Miller ace before sophomore Morgan Voorhes ended the set with a kill.
After the Hornets tied the match a 1-1 with a 25-20 second set win, the 'Roos rebounded with a dominating 25-12 third set win. UMKC scored the set's first three points on a Hendin kill and ace and a Voorhes ace, before extending the advantage to five at 9-4. Delaware State cut the lead to for at 11-7, but a kill by Fossier started 5-0 run by the Kangaroos, stretching the margin to 16-7. Kansas City would build its lead to 11 at 20-9 before two aces by Wemhoff at the end of the set gave UMKC a 2-1 match lead.
In the 'Roos final set of the tournament, the Hornets stayed close midway through the set, trailing 10-9, but a 9-3 run, including two Lucas' aces, gave UMKC control at 19-12. DSU would pull to within four late at 22-18, but two errors and kill by Voorhes ended the match with a 25-19 UMKC win.
In the match, Voorhes finished with 11 kills, while Wemhoff finished with her third consecutive double-double with 17 assists and 11 digs.
The Blue & Gold will back in action again next weekend when they open Summit League play on Sep. 14 against IUPUI at 6 p.m.
