Jennies Volleyball Picks Up a Pair of Sweeps In Oklahoma

DURANT, Okla. (Sept. 1) - The calendar may only say September, but No. 21 Jennies Volleyball already appears to be in midseason form. They earned two 3-0 wins seven hours apart, the first against Minnesota-Crookston, the second against South Central Classic host, Southeastern Oklahoma to start their 2017 season.

Game 1: Central Missouri 3, Minnesota Crookston 0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-21)
Kasey Hohlen started her dominant day by landing 14 kills on 17 attempts against the Golden Eagles for a .824 attack percentage, a single-game career-best for the senior. She had 14 of the Jens 41 kills and helped UCM to a .290 hitting percentage for the game. Freshman Aubree Bell added nine kills.

Leading by three in the early going, 10-7, the Jens doubled their lead to six with the help of a pair of Ally Offerdahl service aces. The Jens remained in control from that point forward and got four straight kills towards the end of the set, two from Hohlen, one from Bell and one from Offerdahl. Hohlen ended the frame with her fourth kill of the set.

Though they led for much of the second set, the Jennies had trouble keep the Golden Eagles down. Back-to-back kills from Minnesota-Crookston pulled them to within just one, 14-13. UCM maintained a small lead and finally put the game out of reach thanks in part to a 5-0 run that saw two more kills from Hohlen.

The third set was a tale of two halves. The Golden Eagles raced taking leads of 7-1 and 13-2. No sweat for the Jens though who rattled off four straight points and then took their first lead after a 7-0 run. Minnesota-Crookston fought to stay in though, keeping it a one-point set at 22-21. A kill from Hohlen and a Katie Carlson service ace along with a Golden Eagle error ended the match. 

Game 2: Central Missouri 3, Southeastern Oklahoma 0 (25-19, 27-25, 25-15)
Kasey Hohlen capped her day picking up 13 more kills in the nightcap and hit .522 against the Savage Storm. She was one of three Jennies in double-figure kills, joined by freshman Audrey Fisher who had a team-high 14 and redshirt-freshman Hannah VanBuskirk who had 12. Bell and Molly Lawrence each had eight.

Playing in just her second career game, Offerdahl picked up a whopping 54 assists. Kylie Hohlen had a game-high 22 digs and Bell added 10. Ky. Hohlen also had the Jens only service ace of the game.

UCM never trailed in the opening set against the Savage Storm. Ahead by a single point, 9-8, the Jens made their move going on a 9-4 run to open up a 18-12 lead. From there, the Jens were able to put the game away getting a pair of kills from VanBuskirk to end it. She finished with six kills in the set.

It looked like the Jennies were again in control of set two, but SEOSU fought hard to stay in it. UCM led by as many as six, 14-8, but a 9-3 run from the Savage Storm knotted things up at 17-all. The teams traded points and 25 wasn't enough to determine a winner. Although there were four ties, the Jennies never trailed and Kasey Hohlen ended the set with a thunderous kill. Fisher picked up eight of her 14 kills in the set and Offerdahl dished out 17 assists. 

Central Missouri went up big again in set three, 9-3, only to see the Savage Storm come back again and cut it to two, 11-9. But the Jennies weren't going to lose the lead a second time. They ended the match on a 13-5 run including scoring the final six points. VanBuskirk and Lawrence each had five kills and UCM hit .531 for the set. 

Abby Jameson led the Savage Storm with a game high 15 kills. Caitlin Cosby dug out 17 attacks and Alissa Benson passed out 41 assists.

Central Missouri plays two more matches at the South Central Classic tomorrow afternoon. First up is Southern Arkansas at noon. They won't have to leave the court following that, as they turn around to play Southern Nazarene at 2 p.m.