October 17, 2023 - Emporia State completed season sweep of Fort Hays State as Sasaki sets Hornet volleyball rally-scoring record with 32 kills.
In the opening set, Emporia State jumped in front with a 7-2 lead with three kills from
Sandora Sasaki and two from
Caydence Doebele. Fort Hays State rallied back, eventually tying the set 11-11. The Hornets held off the Tigers from taking the lead until late in the set when Fort Hays State took their first lead at 21-20. After the Tigers scored three of the next four points to lead 24-21, Emporia State fended off three set points and scored five straight points to steal the first set 26-24.
The script from set one was flipped as Fort Hays State built an early 9-4 lead over the Hornets. Emporia State's first lead of the second set would come at 19-18. The Hornets took their lead during an 8-2 run to close out the set 25-20 as they took a 2-0 lead in the match over the Tigers.
Set three started out in similar fashion as the Tigers took an 8-3 lead over the Hornets. Emporia State rallied to tie the set 10-10. The first lead in the set for the Hornets came at 19-18 but Emporia State was unable to close out the set Fort Hays State rallied to take set three 25-23.
Emporia State got off on the front foot in the fourth set as they took the early lead with a 5-2 advantage. Midway through the set, with the Hornets leading 10-7, Emporia State rallied to score nine of the next ten points and built a 19-8 lead on their way to taking set four 25-12 and the match 3-1 over the Tigers.
Sandora Sasaki led the match with 32 kills, which is the most by a Hornet volleyball player in the rally scoring era and is tied for the most in a four-set match in NCAA Division II this season.
Camilla Ossola tallied five blocks while
Lillian Zeigler and
McKenya Sorrells tallied four and three blocks respectively.
Emporia State will return to action on Friday, October 20 from White Auditorium as they take on Missouri Southern. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.
NOTES:
Sasaki has now reached double figures in 19 straight matches to open the season. It is the longest such streak by a Hornet since Arica Shepard reached double figures in the final 28 matches of the 2009 season. It is the longest streak to start a season by a Hornets since the NCAA moved to 25 point sets in 2008.
Sandora Sasaki's 32 kills are the most by a Hornet volleyball player in the rally scoring era.
Sasaki's 32 kills are tied for the most in NCAA Division II this season.
It is the second-most in any match in NCAA Division II this season.
Sasakis' 32 kills are the most by an MIAA player since Barbara Jackson (Central Oklahoma) had 33 in a 3-1 loss to UCM on November 21, 2015 in the MIAA Tournament Championship match.
