September 20, 2008
CU takes UCO to wire, loses 3-2
LAWTON, Oklahoma (September 20) – The Cameron Aggie volleyball team (6-6, 1-1 LSC) was unable to make it back-to-back home victories this afternoon after falling to the archrival Bronchos of the University of Central Oklahoma (5-10, 1-1 LSC), 3-2. CU held a 2-1 set lead, but was unable to put the strong UCO squad away. The Aggies have now lost the last three matches and six out of the last seven matches versus the Bronchos.
Cameron’s match was scored 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 15-13 and was extremely close throughout. With the loss the Aggies drop back down to .500 on the season. CU posted a solid .225 team hitting percentage in the second set and nearly had double-digit team kill totals in each of the five sets.
“Losing a five-set match 15-13 (in the last set) is difficult because it’s hard to be happy and it’s hard to be mad,” Head Coach Brianne Smedley. “You are pleased that your girls battled against a good team, but you are upset that you couldn’t close it out and finish it.”
Freshman outside hitter Malyssa Acton led the Aggies in a number of offensive categories today. She finished with 14 kills on 45 attacks with 6 errors for a .178 hitting percentage. She also recorded 15 digs, an assist, an ace, a solo block, and a block-assist.
CU’s assist leader was junior setter Laura Ellerbrock who recorded a game-high 44 assists. She also contributed 2 kills on 7 attacks with an error for a hitting percentage of .143, as well as 11 defensive digs, a service ace, and a block-assist.
Defensively Cameron was led by senior libero Haley Hatch who finished the match with a team-high 27 defensive digs. She also recorded 2 assists.
“I think we had too many unforced errors today,” Coach Smedley said. “I told the girls that it’s hard to focus on the positives right after you lose, but on Monday we will remember the things we did well and really push hard to get ready for our next match.”
The Aggies stay home this week to complete their three-game home-stand. On Thursday night the Aggies host the Mustangs of Midwestern State University in the annual Red River Rumble match-up. The match takes place at 7:00pm at Aggie Gym. After the CU-MSU match, the Aggies hit the road for five matches, two of which take place at a tournament in Arkansas.
“We will treat Midwestern State like any other conference opponent,” Coach Smedley said. “As the season progresses and each team can watch and prepare for each other, it’s really going to be the team that can adapt the best that’s going to win.”
Today’s match was the first ever “CU at the Game,” an event coordinated by the Cameron University Student Activities Department. Today’s theme for the event was “Luau,” and each fan to come through the front doors was given black and gold leis. All of Aggie Gym was decorated for the event and fans even had the opportunity to compete in an on-court hula-hoop contest between the second and third sets.
“I thought that today’s ‘CU at the Game’ went absolutely wonderful,” Student Activities Specialist Robin Martin said. “Everyone seemed very excited about the theme we put on, and I think that activities like these help to motivate our students to come out and support our athletic teams.”
Aggie fans can expect more “CU at the Game” events throughout the 2008-2009 athletic season.