Back to back sweeps for Emporia State volleyball with 3-0 win over Union

September 9, 2023-Emporia State rolled to their sixth win in eight matches to open the season with a 3-0 victory over Union (Tenn.) on Saturday at the Missouri S&T Invitational in Rolla, Mo. The Hornets hit a season high .330 in the match.
 
After the Bulldogs scored the first points of the match, the Hornets answered with three of their own and continued to pull away the rest of the set.  Sandora Sasaki would record six kills on just 11 attempts in the opening set for ESU.
 
The second set was all Emporia State as the Hornets scored the first five points of the set and led 8-1 before Union could get a timeout called.  ESU scored the final five points, getting two including the set winner on aces from Ainslee Stepp.
 
The third set was a battle for the Hornets compared to the first two with ten ties and three lead changes.  Union scored four of the first five points and led 15-11 when Emporia State called their first timeout.  The Hornets scored six of the next seven points out of the timeout to take their first lead at 17-16. Neither team would take more than a one point lead until a Sandora Sasaki kill followed bya Union ball handling error gave ESU a 24-22 lead. A kill by the Bulldogs Reese Owens made it 24-23 before Sasaki ended the match with her 15^th kill
 
Sandora Sasaki ended the match with 15 kills on .448 hitting while McKenya Sorrells and Lillian Zeigler each recorded six kills on .333 hitting.  Brailee Bogle dished 29 assists and Emily Harris had a team high 11 digs.
 
Emporia State will make their MIAA and White Auditorium debut on Friday, September 15 against Fort Hays State.  First serve for Teachers Night at White is set for 6:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
Sasaki has opened the season with eight straight double figure kill matches. It is the longest such streak by a Hornet since Carly Spicer hit double figure in the first eight matches of the 2014 season   
With the win the Hornets improved to 6-2 on the season, matching their best start after eight matches since opening the 2013 season with wins in six of their first eight matches.