By: Wichita State
Box Score WICHITA, Kan. ? No. 11 Wichita State (26-0, 15-0) clinched at least a share of the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference championship with a 3-1 win over Evansville (13-14, 7-7) Saturday night on Senior Night inside Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers won by scores of 25-16, 25-10, 23-25 and 25-15.
Sarah McGee led all players with 17 kills and a sizzling .607 hitting percentage, while
Emily Stockman posted 14 kills as well.
Mary Elizabeth Hooper recorded a match-best 46 assists on the evening, while senior
Kelly Broussard inched closer to the all-time MVC digs record with 33. Broussard needs just four more digs to become the conference's all-time leader.
Evansville was led by Ginta Gabruseva's 10 kills, while Julie Sylvester posted a team-best 28 digs.
The Aces took an early 3-1 lead in the first set, but the Shockers scored six-straight points behind the serving of
Mary Elizabeth Hooper to take a 7-3 lead. WSU increased the lead to 13-6 after a kill by
Katie Niggemeyer, but the Aces pulled to within 16-11 after a kill by Ginta Gabruseva. A kill by
Angela Jakubov gave WSU a 22-14 advantage and the Shockers cruised to a 25-16 win.
Set two went back-and-forth until an ace by
Emily Stockman gave WSU a 9-4 lead. The Shockers increased the lead to 14-6 after a kill by
Lindsey Eckenrode and to 21-9 after an Evansville hitting error. A kill by
Stephanie Tokarz gave WSU a 25-10 win.
The Aces grabbed a 5-4 lead in the third set with a block, but an ace by
Kelly Broussard put the Shocks up 7-5. The Aces rallied to take a 14-11 lead after a Shocker hitting error and increased it to 21-16 after another WSU error. The Shockers rallied to within 23-22 on a kill by McGee, but the Aces responded with a kill by Emily Wandersee to go up 24-22. Another Wandersee kill gave the Aces the 25-23 win.
The serving of Brooke Maher gave the Aces a quick 3-0 lead in the fourth set, but the Shockers responded to tie it at four. A Jakubov ace gave the Shocks a 10-7 lead and another McGee kill increased it to 12-8. WSU never looked back in the 25-15 win.
The Shockers are next in action on Fri., Nov. 14 when they travel to Bradley.
-Wichita State-