Nov. 11, 2007

Box Score

Memphis, Tenn. - Marshall University senior outside hitter Stephanie Cahill tallied a match-high 19 kills to help lift the Herd to a 3-0 (31-29, 30-19, 30-26) sweep over Memphis in Sunday afternoon's Conference USA match in Memphis and captures its second C-USA regular season title in three years.

With the victory, Marshall finishes its regular season with a 22-8 overall record, 15-1 C-USA, has clinched the regular season C-USA title, and enters the conference championship as the No.1 seed.

The Herd concludes its regular season on a nine-match winning streak, has now won 16 of its last 17, and has shutout its opponents in each of the last five matches.

"It feels great to win the league outright," head coach Mitch Jacobs said following the victory. "It felt good to talk to the second championship team in three years in the locker room after this match."

Leading 2-0 in the match, and with the score tied at 20 in the third game, Marshall tallied 10 of the next 16 points, capped off by senior middle hitter Uche Ndubisi's ninth kill of the day, to seal the victory and the match for the Herd.

"We're going to put in a couple of days of rest and get ready for the winner of the 8-9 match-up." Jacobs said.

In the second frame, Marshall built an 18-7 lead before Memphis rallied to score eight of the next 11 points to cut its deficit to 21-15. From there, the Herd sealed the game with a 9-4 run capped off by a tandem block from Ndubisi and sophomore outside hitter Kristin Marcum, and a service ace from Cahill.

In the first game, Memphis manufactured a 27-20 lead before Marshall used a 7-1 run that included two kills by junior middle hitter Jalicia Ross, and a kill apiece by senior outside hitter Kelly-Anne Billingy, freshman setter Elizabeth Fleming, and Cahill, to knot the game at 28. After exchanging points to bring the score to 29-29, Ndubisi teamed with Cahill and then with Billingy on a pair of assisted blocks to close out the game one victory.

"We started out really sluggish in game one, and Memphis was playing with a lot of emotion," Jacobs said of an intense first frame. "Trailing 27-22 we went on a five-point run with Kristin Marcum serving to pull to within one at 27-26. It was an amazing win in game one and that really catapulted our momentum through game two."  

Following its comeback in the first game, the Herd did not trail in the match again.

Billingy registered 11 kills on 23 attempts for a .391 hitting percentage, while Cahill's 19 kills on 30 swings was good for a .467 clip on the day.

"Cahill completed a fabulous weekend for us today," Jacobs said of the senior. "Her blocking was as good as it has been all year."

Fleming handed out 45 assists, averaging 15 per game, to help the Herd to a .370 team hitting mark.

Ndubisi totaled nine kills on 20 attempts for a .350 mark and added a solo block and six assisted blocks in the win.

With the No.1 seed heading into the C-USA Volleyball Championship, Marshall has earned a bye for the first round of the C-USA Championship and will return to action Friday, Nov. 16 at 5:00 p.m. against either the No. 8 seed or the No. 9 seed.