CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (Sept. 5, 2015) - Despite career days from multiple Scarlet Knights, the Rutgers volleyball team faltered against heavy competition on Saturday at the Malkin Athletic Center. RU suffered a loss to Long Beach State, 3-1, before dropping a close match to Illinois State, 3-2. RU fell to an overall record of 1-6, while LBSU improved to a mark of 3-2 and ISU moved to 4-2.
Sophomore outside hitter Meme Fletcher (Overland Park, Kan.) continues to highlight the stat sheet, recording a career-high in kills (27) against the 49ers and registering her third consecutive double-double of the weekend. Fletcher was not the only Scarlet Knight to set a career-best, senior setter Anna Sudbury (Tomahawk, Wisc.) posted a career-high in assists (53) against the 49ers, while classmate Ronnie Komisarek (San Manteo, Calif.) noted a career-best in digs (21) versus the Redbirds.
Senior outside hitter Alex Lassa (Eagle, Colo.) broke into the top 10 in the Rutgers record books, totaling 926 kills in her career. Lassa also ranks fifth on the charts with 3179 total career attempts.
GAME ONE: Long Beach State 3, Rutgers 1
In the match against Long Beach State, Fletcher led the Scarlet Knights for the sixth straight match, posting her second double-double with a career-high 27 kills and 12 digs. Sudbury reset her career-best with 53 assists.
Defensively, RU out-blocked the LBSU, 11-6, with senior Eden Frazier contributing a team-high eight. Four Scarlet Knights registered double-digits in the digs column, led by senior Ali Schroeter (Bakersfield, Calif.) with 17 digs.
Long Beach State was led by Nele Barber with 17 kills, while the 2014 Big West Player of the Year, Janelle Hudson, added 48 assists for the 49ers.
After Rutgers and Long Beach State went point-for-point to open the match, trading the lead on numerous occasions, the 49ers were able to hold a steady lead. The Scarlet Knights did not allow the 49ers to move ahead any more than three points and although the score would show even on three more occasions, LBSU was able to grab a 25-23 win in set one.
The 49ers jumped to a 6-2 lead to open set two, but the Scarlet Knights rallied back with four unanswered points to tie the score at 6-6. The scoreboard would be tied six more times in the set, before RU found a 5-1 run to generate a 24-20 advantage. Long Beach State would not let up as they balanced the set once more at 24-24, but Rutgers held strong, sealing the win 26-24.
Despite the Scarlet Knights controlling the lead for the first half of the third set, the 49ers moved in front, 11-10. Rutgers was able to keep the score close, tying the count twice and holding ISU's lead to no more than three. However, it was not enough to surpass the 49ers. The fourth set played out much like the ones prior, as the teams battled to break into the lead. In the end, LBSU grabbed set four by a score of 25-17 to seal the match win.
GAME TWO: ILLINOIS STATE 3, RUTGERS 2
Against Illinois State, Fletcher nearly set another career-high with 22 kills, while adding 10 digs for her third consecutive double-double. Sudbury aided with 44 assists in the match. Komisarek notched a career-best 21 digs in the loss.
Illinois State was led by Ashley Rosch with a match-high 26 kills and 10 digs, while Jordan Weatherless added 34 assists.
In set one, Rutgers and Illinois State fought point-for-point as the game played out. Lassa opened the set with back-to-back kills to give RU quick momentum. However, the set turned into a shootout as the score was tied six times, while Scarlet Knights struggled to jump ahead. Ultimately, the Redbirds would find a small advantage to carry them to a 25-19 set win.
Rutgers did not back down, opening set two with a 3-0 run. While the score once again stayed equal on the board throughout, the Scarlet Knights found the momentum when it counted it, holding off the Redbirds, 27-25, to even the match.
Moving to set three, ISU took control of the set with a 5-1 lead, an advantage the squad would not relinquish. Despite a 25-12 win for the Redbirds, the Scarlet Knights found its momentum from set two. With the score tied 17-17, RU registered two straight points to generate a lead it would never let up. The Scarlet Knights claimed a 25-22 win in set four to push the match to a deciding fifth set.
A 3-1 run to open the fifth stanza failed to carry the Scarlet Knights to victory, as the Redbirds moved along to a slim 15-12 win in the end.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Meme Fletcher registered her second and third double-doubles of the season against LBSU, posting a career-high 27 kills and 12 digs.
- Fletcher has led the Scarlet Knights in all six matches thus far into the season, averaging 5.05 kills per set.
- Anna Sudbury set a new career-best with 53 assists in the loss to LBSU.
- Subdury registered a double-double in the match against ISU with 44 assists and 14 digs.
- Ronnie Komisarek set a career-high with 21 digs in the match against ISU.
- With today's matches, Alex Lassa brought her career total to 926, moving her into the top 10 on the Rutgers career record books.
Rutgers returns to action on Friday, Sept. 11 at the Colgate Invitational, facing host Colgate in a 7 PM ET matchup.
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