Women's Volleyball Earns Split Against MacMurray And Spalding

ST. LOUIS, Mo.—The Fontbonne University women's volleyball team earned a split on Saturday afternoon in its Quad. The team fell in four sets against MacMurray but bounced back with a five-set winner over Spalding to split the season series.

Final: MacMurray 3, Fontbonne 1

Location: DSAC

Records: MacMurray (10-12; 5-4 SLIAC), Fontbonne (2-16, 2-6 SLIAC)

How It Happened

In the first set, the Griffins jumped out to a 12-11 lead on Maura Rabun's kill. However, the Highlanders closed the set out on a 13-2 run for the 25-13 victory.

In the second set, the Highlanders took a 10-9 lead on a Fontbonne attack error. From there, the Griffins went on a 7-0 run to gain some breathing room, 16-10. Later in the set, back-to-back kills from Emma Seiz and Abby Grumich gave them a 23-16 advantage.

The Highlanders trimmed it down to 23-20, but Fontbonne was able to go on for the 25-20 win and even the sets up at 1-1.

In the third, the Highlanders this time around took a 13-7 lead on Kamryn Flesner's kill. Fontbonne, though battled back and tied it at 16-16 on a MacMurray attack error. The two teams went back-and-forth in points, however, the Highlanders pulled away for the 25-20 win.

In the fourth set, a kill from Seiz and a Highlander attack error made it an 11-11 contest. MacMurray answered with a 5-0 run and that forced the Fontbonne coaching staff to take a timeout. Out of the break, the Griffins got to within two on five different occasions, but a Flesner kill finished the set and the match off for the 25-22 win.

Inside The Numbers

• The Griffins finished with 40 kills and a .128 hitting percentage.
• Defensively, they earned 57 digs and tied its season-high with eight block assists.
• The Highlanders rounded out with 50 kills and a .209 hitting percentage.
• They collected 10 service aces and 62 digs.

MacMurray Leaders

• Flesner was the story for MacMurray with a match-high 24 kills on 44 swings. She ended with a .455 hitting percentage.
• Carissa Smith led the group defensively with 22 digs.

Fontbonne Leaders

• Maura Rabun and Rae Andrews tied with 11 kills each. Andrews registered her fourth double-double with 13 digs.
• Setter Abby Grumich handed out 31 assists, while Megan Schaller compiled 15 digs.

Game Two

Final: Fontbonne 3, Spalding 2

Location: DSAC

Records: Fontbonne (6-16; 5-6 SLIAC), Fontbonne (3-16; 3-6 SLIAC)

How It Happened

In the first set, the Golden Eagles took a 15-5 lead on back-to-back service aces from Gabby Ellis. Fontbonne chipped away at the deficit and eventually trailed 17-16 on Grumich's kill. Later, the Golden Eagles expanded its lead back out to 24-19 on Cassie Jones' block.

Fontbonne collected the next two points by way of Rabun and Andrews' kill, though the Golden Eagles earned the 25-21 win on a Fontbonne attack error.

In the second set, the script flipped this time around with Fontbonne putting Spalding in a deep hole at 15-6. Despite SU trying to make a late run at 22-16, the Griffins earned the final three points, two of which came from Taylor Jackson's kill to give them the 25-16 win.

In the third, the Griffins carried that momentum over with another 11-5 fast start on consecutive solo blocks from Emma Seiz. The Golden Eagles tried again with another late run to make it 21-17 on a Griffins attack error. However, the Griffins finished this set out on a 4-0 run to grab the two-sets-to-one lead.

In the fourth, the Griffins went on a 5-0 run to take a 13-10 lead. Later, the home squad led 20-16 but the Golden Eagles went on a 7-1 run to take a 23-21 advantage. Fontbonne tied it on a service error and Grumich's kill, however Spalding finished off the set for the 25-23 win.

In the race to the eighth point in the fifth set it was the Golden Eagles getting there first on Mya Summers kill to make it a 8-6 outing. Later, a Fontbonne attack error gave Spalding an 11-8 lead.

Fontbonne didn't give in and rattled off a 5-0 run to give them a 13-11 lead. A Griffins attack error put Spalding down one (13-12), but that'd be as close as they'd get with Seiz and Andrews registering the kills for the 15-12 set and match win.

Inside The Numbers

• Fontbonne set new season-highs in kills (59), assists (50), digs (96) and blocks (six).
• The team tied its season-high with 11 service aces.
• Spalding ended with 49 kills and a .128 hitting percentage.
• Defensively, they earned 88 digs.

Spalding Leaders

• Savannah Kruse led with 14 kills. Samantha Robison and Cassie Jones contributed 11 and 10, respectively.
• Summers collected a double-double with 32 assists and 13 digs.
• Sarah Richards and Haley Just tied with 17 digs each.

Fontbonne Leaders

• Andrews tied her career-high with 13 kills and picked up her fifth double-double with 16 digs.
• Rabun added 12 kills, while Seiz posted a season-high 11 kills of her own.
• Grumich earned her fourth double-double and first in 2019 with a career-high 45 assists and 11 digs.
• Megan Schaller had a solid outing defensively with a match-high 32 digs.
• Taylor Jackson added a career-high 19.

Up Next

The Griffins continue its home swing on Tuesday night when they'll host St. Mary-of-the-Woods. First-service at 6 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the women's volleyball team.

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