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Mallory McKnight and Sydney Tekstra
Radford Athletics Communications
0
Southeast Missouri SEMO 1-5
3
Winner Radford RAD 6-0
Southeast Missouri SEMO
1-5
0
Final
3
Radford RAD
6-0
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Southeast Missouri SEMO 17 21 18 (0)
Radford RAD 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

FRESHMEN SHINE AS RADFORD EXTENDS WIN, SWEEP STREAKS



BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Radford volleyball team led nearly throughout en route to its sixth straight victory and fifth consecutive sweep Saturday afternoon, downing Southeast Missouri State 25-17, 25-21 and 25-18 in its third match of the UAB/Samford Challenge.
 
The Highlanders (6-0) have now taken 18 consecutive sets since dropping the first two in the season-opening five-set victory over Wake Forest.
 
Against Southeast Missouri, Radford was in front the entire first game after jumping out to a 6-0 lead to begin the match. Southeast Missouri eventually got within two, but the Highlanders answered with nine of the last 12 points to take the game. Amaya Rousseau had five blocks in the set, while Maddie Palmer led the offense with five kills.
 
The Highlanders then built a 7-3 lead in the second game before Southeast Missouri clawed back and took their first lead at 14-13. Trailing 15-14, RU tallied six straight points to take control, sparked by Mallory McKnight's two kills and one block. At 23-21, an attack error and a kill by Rousseau provided the last two points.
 
RU's biggest deficit of the match came at 10-7 in the third set before a kill by Stephanie Neast capped a 6-2 spurt to put the Highlanders in front. After Southeast Missouri regained a one-point lead, Radford followed with eight of the next 10 points to build a 21-16 edge. Sydney Tekstra led the run with four kills. The Highlanders then tallied the final three points to close it out, capped by a service ace by Kelby Jackson.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Freshmen Sydney Tekstra, Mallory McKnight and Stephanie Neast combined for 26 kills in the match, with just three errors between them. Each of the three had a hitting percentage of at least .389.
  • Tekstra and McKnight posted season-highs with 10 and nine kills, respectively, while Neast contributed seven.
  • Maddie Palmer posted her fourth double-double of the year, totaling 12 kills and a season-best 13 digs.
  • Amaya Rousseau equaled her career-high with eight block assists, while recording five kills.
  • Haley Kleespies dished out 38 assists and chipped a season-high nine digs.
  • Kelby Jackson led in the digging department with 14, while adding a pair of service aces. Valerie Ernat added eight digs as the Highlanders totaled 58 in the match.
  • Radford outhit Southeast Missouri .289-.033, held a 44-27 advantage in kills and again controlled the blocking battle 9-2.

QUOTABLE
  • "Southeast Missouri was a very well-coached team and they did little things that made it a little tougher on us. However, we stayed relaxed and were able to pull away towards the end of each set. " ~ head coach Marci Jenkins

UP NEXT
  • The Highlanders wrap up the tournament later Saturday as they face co-host Samford at 8 p.m.

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