Volleyball 9/16/2016 11:33:00 PM Corey Miggins, Sports Information Director

Volleyball Earns Split on First Day of Omni Invitational

Freshman Megan Klavitter led CSU in digs during its two matches on Friday at the Omni Invitational, including a season-best 19 against New Orleans

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BOULDER, Colo. – The Chicago State volleyball team opened the Omni Invitational, hosted by Colorado, in a good way this afternoon after coming back from a first set loss to post a 3-1 (13-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22) victory over New Orleans at the Coors Events Center. In the nightcap, the Cougars dropped a three-set decision (12-25, 10-25, 11-25) to No. 18 Colorado.

Both teams opened the first set by battling to a 5-5 tie before UNO posted a 17-7 scoring run to gain a 22-12 advantage that concluded with a CSU hitting error en route to claiming the first set.

The Green and White broke an 8-8 tie in the second set by scoring seven of the next 10 points played to gain a 15-11 lead on a freshman Sofia Gruden (Washburn, Ill./Metamora) kill. After the Privateers sliced its deficit within two points at 15-13, CSU sent the match into intermission tied at 1-1 after tallying 10 of the final 17 points

The third set saw the Cougars jump out to an early 4-0 lead behind the serve of junior Kelsey Taylor (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian School) and later hiked their leading margin to 10-4 on a kill by senior Dzeni Hadzisehovic (Belgrade, Serbia/First Private School for Catering and Tourism). UNO then scored seven of the next 12 points played to close within 15-11 before CSU finished the set by scoring 10 of the last 16 points that included a block from juniors Paige Eyring (Mesa, Ariz./Mesa) and Shedella Smith (Victorville, Calif./Hesperia) on the final play.

Hadzisehovic paced the Cougars with 12 kills versus UNO, freshman Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden) dished out 19 assists and Chaney finished with 18 digs. Junior Thais Vieira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/ADN) recorded season highs of 11 kills, nine digs, three blocks and a service ace, while fellow junior Shedella Smith (Victorville, Calif./Hesperia) tallied seven blocks (five assisted, two solo) and Taylor recorded a match-best five service aces.

Set number four started with New Orleans taking a 4-1 advantage on a block from Kaitlyn Grice and Jordan Yauch. The Green and White bounced back to score 10 of the next 16 points played to take an 11-10 lead on a Smith kill. CSU later broke a 12-12 tie with six unanswered points to recapture the lead at 18-12 following another block from Gruden and Eyring. An Eyring kill would snap a 21-21 tie as the Cougars scored four of the final five points played to win the match.

Taylor led CSU with her second consecutive double-double as she dished out 22 assists and added 17 digs. Hadzisehovic produced 14 kills, while Smith added 12 kills and Gruden recorded a match-high nine block assists. Klavitter posted a match-leading 19 digs for the Green and White.

Youch finished with a match-best 15 kills and Sarah Thomas posted a match-leading 41 assists for New Orleans (3-8).

In the Colorado match, Klavitter paced the Green and White with a match-high 14 digs and Taylor contributed 12 assists. Hadzisehovic added six kills and Eyring finished with five kills in the match.

Alexa Smith tallied a match-leading 10 kills to pace the Buffaloes (6-2).

The Cougars (2-10) close out the tournament on tomorrow afternoon against Colorado State with the first serve set for 1 p.m., Mountain Time.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#4 Thais Vieira: OH; 6' 0"; Junior

#12 Megan Klavitter: DS; 5' 3"; Freshman

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic: RS; 6' 5"; Senior

#11 Paige Eyring: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#5 Kelsey Taylor: S; 5' 8"; Junior

#7 Sofia Gruden: MB; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#4 Thais Vieira
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH

#12 Megan Klavitter
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: DS

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic
: 6' 5"; Senior
: RS

#11 Paige Eyring
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#5 Kelsey Taylor
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S

#7 Sofia Gruden
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: MB

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned