Box score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University volleyball team had four players in double-figures for kills, including a match-high 15 from Sammie Strausbaugh, to lead the Dolphins to a 3-1 (25-16, 22-25, 25-14, 25-17) victory over Northern Kentucky University in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Saturday.
NKU (5-10, 0-3 A-Sun) was led by
Jayden Julian, who had 13 kills, and
Jenna Ruble, who had 12 kills on a .545 hitting percentage.
Taylor Snyder picked up her seventh double-double of the season, adding 44 assists and 15 digs.
Strausbaugh was one of three players to post a double-double for Jacksonville, which improved to 12-2 overall and 3-1 in A-Sun play. The sophomore outside hitter added 10 digs to her 15 kills to pace the Dolphins. Taylor Nyquist added 12 kills and 14 digs while Gabriela Roman had 11 kills and 11 digs on the day.
Three consecutive kills by Strausbaugh in Set 1 pushed a tied score to a 10-6 lead that the Dolphins would not relinquish. Jacksonville would finish the set on a 13-5 run to claim victory.
Jacksonville got up early in Set 2, leading 12-9 before the Norse rallied for a 9-1 run of their own, punctuated by three kills from Julian and a service ace by
Mel Stewart. Jacksonville continued to fight, closing to within a point at 23-22 before the Norse got back-to-back kills from
Megan Wanstrath and
Kaela Jo Freppon to level the match.
The Dolphins came out on fire after intermission, hitting at a .583 clip in Set 3 to take a 25-14 win. NKU opened with an early 9-7 lead before Jacksonville responded on a 7-1 run, switching the score to a 14-10 Dolphins lead. Jacksonville continued pressing the Norse, finishing on a 10-2 run to take the set. Jacksonville never trailed in Set 4, opening on a 5-1 run and cruising to a 25-17 set win and match victory.
NKU returns home next weekend for A-Sun action at Regents Hall. Friday night the Norse host East Tennessee State at 6 p.m. It's "Gold Rush Regents," with a "Go Gold" tumbler giveaway promotions. Saturday's match against South Carolina Upstate is a part of NKU Family Weekend, and participants receive free admission to the match with their Family Weekend name badge. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
