Sept. 10, 2011
Savannah State Box Score
Stetson Box Score
By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com
DeLAND, Fla. - The closer you stay, the more aggravating it gets. The next big thing continued to elude Bethune-Cookman Friday as the Lady Wildcats split their matches at the Clarion Classic hosted by Stetson University.
Yes, there was the overwhelming 3-0 win over Savannah State (25-17,25-19,25-17). There were a pair of 20 kill matches and double-doubles from Janeen Davis. There was the monster 21-20 of Krysta Gardner against Stetson and promising moments from some of the newcomers.
But the "Stetson thing" couldn't be solved as the Hatters registered their fourth consecutive win over the Lady Wildcats with a 3-1 (31-29, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22) decision in the Edmunds Center. Two five-set losses last week and now the Stetson thing again. When's the breakthrough going to come?
"It is frustrating because you want to take that next step," said B-CU coach Isaac Raphael. "It's pre-conference season so we have to remember that. We didn't play our best match against Stetson, but we hung in there."
Literally adding injury: Sophomore setter Alexis Bliese suffering a leg injury while serving against Stetson. Frances Rodriguez, who normally platoons with Bliese, finished the match and posted a 36-assist, 14-dig double-double.
For the second week in a row, B-CU (3-6) had a match where Gardner and Davis each registered over 20 kills. Davis now has five double-doubles on the season and the 20-kill total in the Stetson contest was her third of the year. Gardner's double-double was her third as she posted a career-high 20 digs against the Hatters.
However, Stetson's defense was able to contain Davis and Garner at times, and the Hatters' offense featured four players in double figure kills.
"Stetson's libero did an outstanding job," Raphael said. "We need to get more people involved in our offense."
B-CU had Stetson at set point twice at the opener, but couldn't finish. The Lady Wildcats rallied for ties three times before the Hatters took the 31-29 decision.
Gardner had six kills as the third set as B-CU erased an early 4-0 deficit and later pulled away from an 18-18 tie to take a 24-19 lead.
B-CU saw a 6-2 lead fade in the final set. After a Davis kill tied it at 22, Stetson scored the final three points.
Aubrianna Curtis had five kills and 10 digs while Aria Cormier had a block solo and five block assists. Jennifer Jimenez finished with ten digs.
Against Savannah State, Davis had 21 kills and 12 digs as B-CU all but controlled the opening match of the tournament.
Gardner (15 kills) fell two digs shy of her third double-double of the season. Jimenez had 15 digs while Bliese and Rodriguez posted 24 and 20 assists, respectively.
Davis hit .778 (7-9) for B-CU in the opening set.
Savannah State took a 12-9 lead in the second set, but B-CU rallied to take a 14-13 lead on a Curtis kill. The Tigers managed to regain the lead but a Gardner kill and a three-point Cormier service run helped B-CU regain control. BCU closed the set with a 5-1 run that included two kills from Kenya Parker.
B-CU faces Wofford at 11 a.m Saturday.
