In an exciting four set match, Ole Miss got revenge on Arkansas State tonight at home, hosting the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Rebels won three sets to one.
The Red Wolves started the first set strong, setting the pace early. They’re fast hitting helped elevate them to an early lead. The Rebels put up some tough blocks on defense, but with ASU capitalizing on their mistakes, Ole Miss fell in the first set 25-18.
The Rebels came out in the second set and made some key adjustments. Not only were they extremely powerful at the net in the second set, as a team, they notched a total 56 kills on the night. Both teams displayed focus and energy through some intense volleys that had fans on the edge of their seats. Ole Miss came out on top in set number two, 25-20.
In an explosive third set, sophomore Emily Stroup started to have a monster match. At one point, she put up three blocks in a row on defense and kept her team in it. In total, Stroup had 18 kills and a career-high six blocks.
“This was a big win for us, especially since they beat us last time. I think we did a better job this time of playing our tempo since they are such a fast-paced team. I think all around we all played really well,” Stroup said in a postgame interview.
The crowd was loud the entire fourth set, cheering on the Rebs to get the W. “Keep the hammer down! Pedal to the Metal!” Boy, did they deliver. Both sides of the net seemed to be playing their A game. However, Ole Miss pulled ahead when it mattered most to win the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.
Head Coach Steven McRoberts was proud of the team effort that was put forth tonight. With so many players putting up strong stats and contributing to the win, he said, “We’re just really excited to get the win. We’re excited that we get three more days to play volleyball.”
Ole Miss will host SEC foe Georgia in the third round of the NIVC Sunday, December 2, at 1p.m.
By Elyse Lenaburg, Social Media Editor of HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at elyse.lenaburg@hottytoddy.com