Women's Volleyball | 9/11/2012 9:58:00 PM
Sept. 11, 2012 – Morgan Buckner had nine kills on 15 attempts to lead Emporia State, but the Hornets were unable to come up with a win at #5 Washburn in the first Turnpike Tussle volleyball match of 2012 in Topeka, Kan.
Washburn defeated Emporia State in three sets 25-12, 25-12, 25-19.
Emporia State’s record drops to 5-4 (0-1) while Washburn is 9-0 (1-0).
The Turnpike Tussle was the MIAA conference opener for the first time since 2002.
Emporia State out-blocked and out-dug the Lady Blues with a 6-4 advantage in blocks and a 37-36 advantage in digs. Buckner’s nine kills were her highest total of the season and hit a team-best .467. Meg Schwartz led the Hornets with 12 digs, Katie Deutschmann was the assist leader with 14. Every player on the Emporia State roster saw action in the match.
Buckner shared the lead with Deutschmann with three kills in set one. Washburn took advantage of 13 Emporia State hitting errors while committing only one to take the set 25-12.
Washburn gained an early advantage, and held on for a 25-12 win in set two. Buckner added three more kills to her total. Courtney Haring and Hunter Porter proved effective blockers, with total blocks in the middle of the set.
The final set proved to be the most contested of the three. With the score tied 3-3, Washburn went on a 10-3 run. The two teams traded points until Emporia State went on a 5-1 run to cut the lead to 17-14, forcing Washburn to call timeout. The Lady Blues came out of the timeout on a 3-1 run, as the Hornets tried to find Buckner, the night top hitter to regain momentum. Two kills by Washburn’s Hillary Hughes at 21-17 and 23-18 helped the Lady Blues seal the victory.
The Hornets resume MIAA play in St. Joseph, Mo. on Saturday versus Missouri Western at noon.
