Dukes down rival Tribe
JMU extends winning streak to four
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on September 25, 2006

The JMU women’s volleyball team stretched its winning streak to four consecutive games as it downed Colonial Athletic Association rival William & Mary 3-1 Friday night.

Sophomore setter Lauren Miles tied her career high with 63 assists and added a career-high 15 digs in leading the Dukes past the Tribe.

“We battled hard tonight,” JMU coach Disa Garner said. “We made some critical changes at the end that allowed us to win the points when we had to.”

The Dukes came out firing in the first game, taking an early lead and never giving it up. On the very first volley, senior right-side hitter Bayli Stillwell set the tone for the match with a hard kill.

The Dukes jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the match before William & Mary coach Debbie Hill called a timeout to try and regroup. After the timeout, the Dukes stretched their lead to 17-6 forcing another Tribe timeout.           

“We came out with good energy,” Stillwell said. “Emotionally, we were really into it and we really took it to them in that first game.”
Added Garner, “I thought we played really well that first game. I didn’t expect us to win as big as we did.”

The Dukes ended up taking the first game 30-15.

In the second game, William & Mary responded with a much better effort.

“They’re a team that fights for every point,” Stillwell said. “They’re never a team that’s going to let you dominate them with out with a good effort.”

The Tribe took a 1-0 lead in the game and the match would go back and forth with several ties and lead changes. JMU forced the game to a 28-28 tie, but freshman Lindsey Pflugner recorded a pivotal kill as the Tribe went on to take the game 30-28.

JMU struggled in the game with 16 errors, including eight attacking errors that allowed William & Mary to take the game.

“I got a little frustrated with our play in the middle of the match,” Garner said. “We need to learn to be a little more consistent, and I think as our younger players get a little more experience, we’ll get better at that.”

In the third game, the Tribe jumped to a 1-0 lead, but would not lead the rest of the tightly contested game. Madison never lead by more then 3 until a six-point run with junior Allyson Halls serving late in the game gave the team a 26-19 lead. Stillwell came up a big block with the score 28-21 and the Dukes went on to win 30-21.

“I think we came back and fought hard,” Halls said. “We definitely picked it up later in the match.”

The fourth game saw William & Mary jump all over the Dukes 17-9. JMU responded with a 10-2 run to tie the score up 19-19. The game went back and forth the rest of the way with the Tribe eventually getting it to game point at 29-28. Senior outside hitter Hanna Porterfield and Halls each came up with big kills for the Dukes to take the lead 30-29. Halls would team up with Miles for a team block that would finish off the match 31-29.

On the day Halls led the Dukes with 16 kills on a .406 attack percentage, eight digs and two block assists.

“I think Allyson Halls had a pretty good match,” Garner said. “She blocked a few balls and she really was outstanding striking the ball.”

The Dukes also got 16 kills from Potterfield and Stillwell recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs.

Junior libero Jena Pierson increased her conference-leading dig average to 6.45 with a 31-dig performance.

William & Mary had three players record double-doubles. Sophomore Abbi Owens led all players with 20 kills and also contributed 12 digs. Pflugner added 11 kills and 12 digs while sophomore setter Kim Mount had 45 assists and 11 digs.

The Dukes wrapped up their five-game home stand yesterday against Virginia Commonwealth and travel to Hempstead, N.Y., to take on CAA rival Hofstra Friday.