Box Score
SALEM, W. Va. (Sept. 30, 2017) – The Salem International University (SIU) Tigers volleyball team lost to the Shepherd University Rams in four sets (19-25, 17-25, 25-19, 22-25).
The Tigers got stronger as the match went on, finding a spark with new lineup combinations and alignments, but struggled to contain the Rams' Amanda Snowden, who finished with a game-high 17 kills. With the loss, Salem drops to 4-17 for the season while Shepherd University improves to 11-4.
"We were very slow. We weren't reading their offense or moving on defense…we started very slow," Head Coach
Ashley Ziegle said. "[In the last two sets] we switched to a 5-1, our serving was more aggressive—mainly Sophie [Freihofer]—and Rachel [Hess] turned it on in the front row while our blocking stepped up.
"Next week we finally have a full five days of practice, so hopefully we can turn it up a notch and bring home some wins."
SIU took a 15-13 lead midway through the first set, getting back-to-back service aces from
Cassidy Pluta, before the Rams closed out the first set on a 12-4 run. Shepherd finished the set with nine kills on 31 attacks with three errors for a .194 hitting percentage. The Tigers finished with eight kills and eight hitting errors, many late in the set, to finish with a .000 hitting percentage.
The Rams were deadly efficient in the second set, getting seven kills and one block from Seone Good. Shepherd University finished the set with a sizzling .353 hitting percentage, scoring 16 kills on 34 attacks with four errors.
Down 10-12 in the third set, the Tigers ripped off an 8-0 run behind some strong serves from Freihofer, who served two aces and kept the Rams off balance with short serves, forcing overs the Tigers quickly capitalized on.
Tigers libero
Jen Foreman keyed a 5-0 run early in the fourth and final set with three aces in five serves, but the Rams had 14 kills on 44 attacks to close out the set.
The Tigers are off until Oct. 7, when they'll host two games, playing Kentucky State University at 1 p.m. and Bluefield State College at 6 p.m.
