September 22, 2010
(KIRKSVILLE) – Emily Briseno's team-high ten kills led a sophomore class explosion on Wednesday night, as the 13th-ranked Truman volleyball squad dispatched Southwest Baptist, 3-0 (-20, -14, -11) in just more than an hour in Pershing Arena.
The Bulldogs (10-2, 3-1 MIAA) hit. 326 on the night and were fueled offensively by its sophomore class, as 32 of the team's 39 kills came from its second-years. In addition, the five sophomores hit .403 as a unit to help guide Truman to its 43rd straight win against the Bearcats (6-5, 1-2 MIAA) dating back to 1988.
“Tonight was a great overall team effort,” head coach
Ben Briney said. “I'm very proud of the girls in the way they kept pushing and did not allow SBU to get back in the match. It showed a lot of maturity from our young group to keep the pressure on.”
Briseno (Lee's Summit, Mo., Lee's Summit West)'s ten kills came with just one error on 17 total attacks, while also adding two solo blocks and three block assists. Fellow sophomores
Heather Hargadine (Labadie, Mo., St. Francis Borgia) and
Lauren Radix (Black Earth, Wis., Wisconsin Heights) added nine kills each.
Defensively, the 'Dogs out-blocked SBU, 7-4, and out-dug the Bearcats, 44-35, in holding the visitors to just a .020 hitting mark. Truman also dealt seven aces to zero for SBU.
SBU was led by Ashley Jurgensmeyer's ten kills.
The Bulldogs will hit the road this weekend, traveling to Missouri Southern and Pittsburg (Kan.) State for back-to-back conference matches on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
“We have a very tough road trip ahead in Joplin and Pittsburg,” Briney said. “We'll have to be really focused and ready to play from the first serve.”
