Sunday, September 19
Starkville.
2:00 PM
Mississippi State
3
vs
0
Jackson State
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
A 9-3 Non-Conference Mark For Volleyball
September 19, 2021 | Volleyball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's volleyball team concluded its non-conference slate with a nice and tidy sweep of Jackson State [25-8, 25-17, 25-20] to finish up the Hail State Invitational on Sunday afternoon at the Newell-Grissom Building.
The Bulldogs (9-3) tucked away their fourth consecutive winning weekend of the 2021 season. For their efforts, Gabby Waden earned her third all-tournament team nod, followed by Lauren Myrick who captured her second all-tournament team pick of the season.
Mississippi State spent most of the match in-system as the Bulldogs blitzed Jackson State for 49 kills on 74 swings with only three attack errors for a sparkling .622 hitting percentage.
The Maroon and White registered all five blocks for the match and controlled the back row by a healthy 36-21 margin in digs. State converted on 35-for-46 en route to a 76.1 percent sideout ratio.
"The team was extremely clean, nice and efficient," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "I thought we did a good job of managing risks today. We were really trying to compete with ourselves and be the version of ourselves that we can be. We really wanted to build some confidence and build some momentum as we closed out non-conference and head into SEC. I was super proud that I could get everyone in. I know that we are resting a couple kids today. Everybody else did a great job when they were called on, and I was very proud of all 16 of them that got to play today."
Shania Cromartie dialed up a match-high 10 kills on 13 errorless swings for a .769 hitting clip, while Waden added eight kills and two blocks. Callie Minshew provided a strong all-around effort with eight kills, six digs and two aces as a six-rotation outside hitter.
MSU's middles of Sania Petties, Deja Robinson and Rebecca Walk combined for 14 kills on 17 swings without a hitting miscue. The Petties-Robinson duo also teamed up for five blocks.
Avery Fitzgerald picked up a season's best four kills over her two frames of action. Laughlin Murray handed out her first three career assists to close out the opening set.
Gabby Coulter captured her team-leading fifth double-double of the season with 19 assists and 10 digs, whereas Margaret Dean distributed 16 assists and added four digs.
Yuliana Amador donned the libero jersey for the first time in her career and performed at a high level. She reeled in 10 digs, added five digs and was a perfect 8-for-8 in her reception attempts.
"The setters do a great job of having relationships with their attackers," Dennis said. "It's really easy for them to put our hitters in good positions because they know their teammates really well. So, I thought they did a good job of getting people involved and getting people swings that maybe aren't used to being on the floor and putting them in good positions. That's why we're so successful. Our setters do a good job of finding the right people at the right time."
"A lot of it goes to Jules [Yuliana Amador]," Dennis continued. "I thought she put the [libero] jersey on [and] played with a lot of confidence and a lot of swag. She was incredible. It was pretty neat to watch a freshman do that. I'm very proud of her, and it's really cool to see that we have someone that's good right behind Lilly [Gunter] in our own gym."
The Bulldogs set sail on a strong course behind a pair of kills courtesy of Waden and Minshew to build a quick 4-0 advantage. State stretched it to 9-1 as Cromartie and Robinson teamed up for a double stuff. The Bulldogs kept the momentum rolling downhill and made it 18-4 after consecutive kills from Petties, Minshew and Cromartie. At 22-8, Murray connected with Minshew, Robinson and Cromartie in succession to put a bow on the 25-8 rout.
After splitting the first 18 points of set two, Mississippi State found its separation behind 12 of the next 15 points. Walk put the Bulldogs up for good with a transition kill through the middle, while Minshew slapped an ace and Cromartie went through the JSU block to push the score to 12-9. State extended the advantage to 19-12 on a slide kill courtesy from Jessica Kemp. Once again, it was Cromartie who delivered the finishing blow at 25-17.
Mississippi State was poised to salt away its fifth sweep of the season as the Bulldogs forced Jackson State into seven hitting errors in the third frame. State took a 3-2 lead and never looked back. A Burgundy Walters kill up the middle placed State ahead 15-10 at the media timeout. The Tigers would get as close as 22-19, but a Waden tip kill vaulted the Maroon and White into the winner's circle at 25-20.
The Bulldogs turn their attention to SEC play and travel to No. 14 Florida for a pair of matches on Thursday and Friday. Both matches are slated for 6 p.m. CT starts from Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Both matches also will be streamed online courtesy of SEC Network+ and the Watch ESPN app.
"We're fired up to start conference play," Dennis said. "The SEC, top to bottom, is the best league in the country for a reason in my opinion. Every single time that we get to step on the floor for a conference match, you know it's going to be a battle and a dogfight. But that's what we signed up for. We played a very tough non-conference slate for a reason. Going into conference play at 9-3, I think is a feat in itself. This team is hungry, and they know what it's going to take to do something special. I think they're in a good place. They trust each other, and they have a good belief right now."
Mississippi State's SEC home opener is a weekend series with LSU on October 1-2. Friday's first serve is on-tap for 6 p.m. CT followed by a 4 p.m. CT tilt for Saturday. Admission is free for all home volleyball matches at the Newell-Grissom Building with gates opening one hour prior to first serve.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the volleyball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateVB' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2021 Hail State Invitational All-Tournament Team
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse (MVP)
Carissa Bradford, South Alabama
Marina Brito, Jackson State
Olivia Flanagan, Jackson State
Elena Karakasi, Syracuse
Kailey Keeble, South Alabama
Lauren Myrick, Mississippi State
Gabby Waden, Mississippi State
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's volleyball team concluded its non-conference slate with a nice and tidy sweep of Jackson State [25-8, 25-17, 25-20] to finish up the Hail State Invitational on Sunday afternoon at the Newell-Grissom Building.
The Bulldogs (9-3) tucked away their fourth consecutive winning weekend of the 2021 season. For their efforts, Gabby Waden earned her third all-tournament team nod, followed by Lauren Myrick who captured her second all-tournament team pick of the season.
Mississippi State spent most of the match in-system as the Bulldogs blitzed Jackson State for 49 kills on 74 swings with only three attack errors for a sparkling .622 hitting percentage.
The Maroon and White registered all five blocks for the match and controlled the back row by a healthy 36-21 margin in digs. State converted on 35-for-46 en route to a 76.1 percent sideout ratio.
"The team was extremely clean, nice and efficient," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "I thought we did a good job of managing risks today. We were really trying to compete with ourselves and be the version of ourselves that we can be. We really wanted to build some confidence and build some momentum as we closed out non-conference and head into SEC. I was super proud that I could get everyone in. I know that we are resting a couple kids today. Everybody else did a great job when they were called on, and I was very proud of all 16 of them that got to play today."
Shania Cromartie dialed up a match-high 10 kills on 13 errorless swings for a .769 hitting clip, while Waden added eight kills and two blocks. Callie Minshew provided a strong all-around effort with eight kills, six digs and two aces as a six-rotation outside hitter.
MSU's middles of Sania Petties, Deja Robinson and Rebecca Walk combined for 14 kills on 17 swings without a hitting miscue. The Petties-Robinson duo also teamed up for five blocks.
Avery Fitzgerald picked up a season's best four kills over her two frames of action. Laughlin Murray handed out her first three career assists to close out the opening set.
Gabby Coulter captured her team-leading fifth double-double of the season with 19 assists and 10 digs, whereas Margaret Dean distributed 16 assists and added four digs.
Yuliana Amador donned the libero jersey for the first time in her career and performed at a high level. She reeled in 10 digs, added five digs and was a perfect 8-for-8 in her reception attempts.
"The setters do a great job of having relationships with their attackers," Dennis said. "It's really easy for them to put our hitters in good positions because they know their teammates really well. So, I thought they did a good job of getting people involved and getting people swings that maybe aren't used to being on the floor and putting them in good positions. That's why we're so successful. Our setters do a good job of finding the right people at the right time."
"A lot of it goes to Jules [Yuliana Amador]," Dennis continued. "I thought she put the [libero] jersey on [and] played with a lot of confidence and a lot of swag. She was incredible. It was pretty neat to watch a freshman do that. I'm very proud of her, and it's really cool to see that we have someone that's good right behind Lilly [Gunter] in our own gym."
The Bulldogs set sail on a strong course behind a pair of kills courtesy of Waden and Minshew to build a quick 4-0 advantage. State stretched it to 9-1 as Cromartie and Robinson teamed up for a double stuff. The Bulldogs kept the momentum rolling downhill and made it 18-4 after consecutive kills from Petties, Minshew and Cromartie. At 22-8, Murray connected with Minshew, Robinson and Cromartie in succession to put a bow on the 25-8 rout.
After splitting the first 18 points of set two, Mississippi State found its separation behind 12 of the next 15 points. Walk put the Bulldogs up for good with a transition kill through the middle, while Minshew slapped an ace and Cromartie went through the JSU block to push the score to 12-9. State extended the advantage to 19-12 on a slide kill courtesy from Jessica Kemp. Once again, it was Cromartie who delivered the finishing blow at 25-17.
Mississippi State was poised to salt away its fifth sweep of the season as the Bulldogs forced Jackson State into seven hitting errors in the third frame. State took a 3-2 lead and never looked back. A Burgundy Walters kill up the middle placed State ahead 15-10 at the media timeout. The Tigers would get as close as 22-19, but a Waden tip kill vaulted the Maroon and White into the winner's circle at 25-20.
The Bulldogs turn their attention to SEC play and travel to No. 14 Florida for a pair of matches on Thursday and Friday. Both matches are slated for 6 p.m. CT starts from Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Both matches also will be streamed online courtesy of SEC Network+ and the Watch ESPN app.
"We're fired up to start conference play," Dennis said. "The SEC, top to bottom, is the best league in the country for a reason in my opinion. Every single time that we get to step on the floor for a conference match, you know it's going to be a battle and a dogfight. But that's what we signed up for. We played a very tough non-conference slate for a reason. Going into conference play at 9-3, I think is a feat in itself. This team is hungry, and they know what it's going to take to do something special. I think they're in a good place. They trust each other, and they have a good belief right now."
Mississippi State's SEC home opener is a weekend series with LSU on October 1-2. Friday's first serve is on-tap for 6 p.m. CT followed by a 4 p.m. CT tilt for Saturday. Admission is free for all home volleyball matches at the Newell-Grissom Building with gates opening one hour prior to first serve.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the volleyball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateVB' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2021 Hail State Invitational All-Tournament Team
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse (MVP)
Carissa Bradford, South Alabama
Marina Brito, Jackson State
Olivia Flanagan, Jackson State
Elena Karakasi, Syracuse
Kailey Keeble, South Alabama
Lauren Myrick, Mississippi State
Gabby Waden, Mississippi State
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