Western Courier

Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa Junior left side Amy Sauerwein led Western's volleyball team to a five-game win over UMKC Saturday with 15 kills and a season-high 25 digs.

Senior left side Amy Sauerwein recorded 15 kills and a season-high 25 digs for the Western Illinois volleyball team in its second-straight Summit League victory of the 2007 season Saturday. Western defeated UMKC, 3-2 (30-27, 30-19, 22-30, 25-30, 15-7), at Swinney Recreation Center.

Sauerwein also recorded three blocks, one service ace and a .333 (15k-1e-42ta) hitting percentage. Senior right side Ashley Baker also tallied double-digit kills for the Westerwinds (5-8, 2-0 The Summit League), garnering 11 and adding 16 digs and three service aces.

"A win is a win and I'm glad that the fifth game was not our typical two-point Game 5," said coach Kym McKay. "I was impressed that we were able to battle out in the beginning and close it out quick, but I was disappointed that we were in a Game 5 again."

The fifth game started with a familiar run for the Westerwinds as the team jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. The Kangaroos (3-13, 0-2 The Summit League) then went on a two-point run. UMKC tied the deciding game at five, and the match remained tight until Western started an eight-point run at a 7-7 tie to run to victory.

Game 1 started with a battle for the lead, with no team going ahead by more than two points until Western took a 17-14 advantage. The Kangaroos fought back to tie the game at 23. Seniors Michelle Donnell and Sauerwein were the sparks that broke the tie when they recorded a block to give Western a 25-24 lead and start a three-point run that was enough to earn the first game victory.

The Westerwinds started out Game 2 with a 4-0 run before the Kangaroos tied the game at six. Both teams then battled for the lead until Western went on an eight-point run when the score was tied at 13. UMKC then went on a four-point run of its own, but it was not enough to take the game away from the Westerwinds.

Western started out Game 3 with another four-point run, but it was short lived as the Kangaroos went on a three-point run of its own to close the gap to one. The teams battled for the lead from that point until UMKC took a six-point advantage to go up 15-9. Western closed the gap to within two points, but it was not enough as the Kangaroos pulled back out to lead by as many as eight points.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools