Slippery Rock vs. Southwest Minnesota State Statistics

Slippery Rock vs. Abilene Christian Statistics

Golden, Colo. – The Slippery Rock University volleyball team opened its 2010 season with two matches on Friday at the Courtyard by Marriott / Residence Inn Oredigger Volleyball Classic. The Rock began the day with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-13) loss to Southwest Minnesota State before falling to Abilene Christian 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-19) in the nightcap.

Leading the way with five kills each against Southwest Minnesota State was freshman outside hitter Caroline Houston and junior outside hitter Kristin Slavoski.

Senior setter Kim Wilson and senior setter/defensive specialist Anna Bixler tied for a team-high of six assists while Bixler and junior outside hitter Kaylee Smith each added 10 digs. Junior middle hitter Lisa Bakaitis led SRU on defense with two block assists.

After dropping the first set to the Mustangs 25-8, The Rock found themselves down 4-1 in the second set before capturing four of the next five points to even the score at 5-5. The two schools then traded points and remained tied at 7-7. Southwest Minnesota State then managed to rattle off four consecutive points to take a commanding 11-7 lead that it would never relinquish in the 25-14 win.

SRU quickly found itself down 5-1 in the third set before climbing all the way back to just a one-point deficit (10-9). The comeback bid was led by Slavoski, who had two kills during the spurt. However, Slippery Rock was never able to tie the score as the Mustangs took the set 25-13.

The second match saw The Rock hang tight with Abilene Christian in all three sets. Smith paced Slippery Rock with eight kills and 14 digs. Also helping the SRU cause was Wilson, who had 23 assists, as well as junior outside hitter Alee Kromer's team-high 19 digs.

Bakaitis threw down six kills while Houston and Slavoski repeated their match one performances with five more kills each. Senior middle blocker Keira Peoples produced Slippery Rock's first solo block of the season against ACU.

Leading 21-16, the Wildcats seemed poised to run away with the first set before a late Rock surge evened the score at 22-22 thanks to a 6-1 run. But Abilene Christian took the set 25-23 with two kills and an SRU attack error.

Slippery Rock kept the remaining two sets close, but could never quite take the lead and lost 25-18, 25-19.

SRU will conclude its time at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic on Saturday with matches against Augustana (S.D.) at 10 a.m. MST and Chaminade at 2 p.m. MST.