Aug. 27, 2005

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - (Saturday, August 27, 2005) The Redhawks opened the 2005 volleyball season with a 3-1 loss to regional rival Saint Louis University at the St. Clair Corporation/Clarion Hotel Missouri State Invitational at the Hammons Student Center Saturday morning.

In the first match-up between the two schools since 2000 the Redhawks (0-1) pulled ahead 6-4 early in game one on a Jessica Koeper (Jackson, MO/Jackson) kill. The Billikens (1-0) went on a 5-0 run to pull ahead 9-6. That lead quickly extended to 14-9 but the Redhawks scored four-straight to cut the lead to one 14-13. The Billikens then again pulled ahead by five 18-13 but the Redhawks continued to battle and eventually tied the game at 22-all on another Koeper kill. The Redhawks later gained a two-point lead, 26-24 on a Koeper kill but the Billikens fought back to tie and both teams exchanged points. The Billikens were serving for game point at 29-28 but a Brittany Hastings (Wichita, KS/Circle H.S.) kill saved one game point for the Redhawks and tied the game at 29. The Billikens then strung together two-straight points to capture the first game 31-29. Despite the setback the Redhawks had a .184 hitting percentage in the game and held the Billikens to a .114 percentage.

In game two the Redhawks again jumped ahead early and held a 14-9 advantage. The Billikens went on a 8-3 run to tie the game at 17-all. The Billikens then grabbed their first lead of the game 20-19 on back-to-back service aces by Jessica Poorbaugh. The Redhawks again pulled ahead 28-25 on a Jamie Baumstark (Hermann, MO/Hermann) service ace and a kill by Lauren Scannell (Belleville, IL/Southwestern Illinois College). A kill by Hastings gave the Redhawks a 29-26 lead a game point opportunity. The kill by Angela Powers saved the point for the Billikens but Jill Miller (Muncie, IN/Muncie Central) then closed out the game with kill for a 30-27 game two win.

Game three again saw the Redhawks pull ahead early 8-7 before the Billikens tied the game at 8-8 on a kill by Sutton Lasater. The Billikens went on a 4-0 run to grab a 12-8 lead that they would never relinquish and would coast to a 30-15 victory. The Redhawks struggled in game three hitting negative .143 recording only five kills while committing nine attack errors. The Billikens meanwhile hit .290.

The Redhawks jumped ahead 3-0 and 5-2 in game four before the Billikens tied the game at 7-7. The Billikens grabbed their first lead of the game 10-9 on a Tatyana Menshikova service ace. The teams then traded points before the Billikens grabbed a two-point advantage 15-13. The Redhawks rallied to tie the game at 18 apiece on a Baumstark kill. Both teams then again traded points as both teams stayed deadlocked at 22. The Redhawks then grabbed a 24-22 lead on a Baumstark ace. The Billikens tied the game at 24 apiece. That would be the closest the Redhawks would come as the Billikens went on a 6-2 run to win the game 30-26 and the match 3-1. The Billikens hit .304 in the final game and held the Redhawks to a .108 percentage.

Koeper recorded a double-double with a team-high 14 kills and 15 digs. Miller also recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.

Baumstark finished with a team-high 34 assists while adding five service aces.

Scannell added a team-high 16 digs and Sirma Ozenir (Izmir, Turkey/Izmir Karsiyaka) finished with 11 digs.

Brenna Schlader (Columbia, MO/Hickman) led the team with five block assists.

The Billikens were led by Menshikova who recorded a double-double with a match-high 27 kills and 11 digs. Lauren Boissevain finished with a match-high 51 assists and All-American Aida Antanaviciute finished with a match-high 17 digs.

The Redhawks continue play today against Arkansas-Little Rock at 5:00 p.m.