JACKSONVILLE – For the second-straight year the Jacksonville State volleyball team met the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference volleyball tournament, and for the second-straight time, advanced with a 3-0 sweep.
This time was different, however. The Gamecocks (20-9) were working to defend their home court as the regular season OVC champion and No. 1 seed in the postseason event. The Cougars (14-15), were looking to spoil the party with another win against the Gamecocks just as they did in Edwardsville, Illinois during the regular season.
In spite of the straight-sets victory, the Gamecocks were challenged about as closely as anyone could. In just three sets, the match saw a staggering 38 ties and 13 lead changes. With the win, JSU moves on to the OVC semifinals for the second year in a row and will face fourth-seeded Morehead State (22-8) at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Junior
Kaylie Milton started fast and finished strong with a team-high 14 kills on a .333 attack percentage. The Fullerton, Calif., native, added a pair of service aces and a block to go along with eight digs. A couple of seniors followed Milton offensively as
Kaylee Frear had nine kills and
Sadie Anderson finished with seven. Junior
Lexie Libs, the 2019 OVC Setter of the Year, directed the offense with 38 assists in the tight contest. Across the net, freshman
Erin Carmichael led the Gamecocks with 13 digs in her postseason debut, just ahead of
Dani Steele who upped 12 attacks.
The largest lead either team held in the marathon first set was two when JSU led 12-10 and again at 21-19. After SIUE evened things back up at 22, JSU would force the Cougars against set-point at 24-23. SIUE fought off the point and flipped the script cause JSU to then hang on and fight-off a trio of set-points at 25-24, 28-27 and 29-28. The Gamecocks answered the bell each time. At 30-30, an error from SIUE gave JSU on more chance to end the frame, which it did with Carmichael's ace which sent Pete Mathews Coliseum into a roar.
The 32-30 set matches the highest extended rally for JSU all season, tying another 32-30 win the Gamecocks pulled of over New Orleans during the non-conference portion of the schedule back on Sept. 20. After the second set also began close, JSU pulled away with a 7-1 run midway through the game to grab a 20-12 advantage en route to a 25-16 win.
Needing a win to extend the match, the visiting Cougars led almost the entire third set with the Gamecocks close behind. After a 7-7 tie, JSU didn't lead again until a kill by Anderson brought Jax State to match-point up 24-23. Anderson and Lena Frear combined for a big block on the next play to send JSU into the semifinals.
After falling to Austin Peay on the second day of the tournament last year, the Gamecocks are looking to reach the championship match for the first time since 2009. To get there, JSU will have to take down Morehead State for the third time this season. JSU and MSU went five sets in Jacksonville back on Oct. 6, before the Gamecocks handed the Eagles their first OVC home loss of the season in Morehead earlier this month on Nov. 9.
Friday's semifinal match with begin at 6 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Admission is $5 and JSU students get in free with a student ID. The match will also air of ESPN+ with live stats available at JSUGamecockSports.com
