DUKES DOWNED BY DAVIDSON 3-2 IN TOURNAMENT OPENER

Friday, August 31

Davidson, N.C.

7:30 p.m.

James Madison University

1-2

Davidson

3-0

James Madison

Davidson

8/31/2007 4:00:00 AM | Volleyball

Box Score

DAVIDSON, N.C., Aug. 31, 2007 ? Freshman Sarabeth Peele (San Antonio, Texas/Reagan) contined her strong start to the season with 23 kills as Davidson College won its 2007 home opener by defeating James Madison University 3-2 on Friday night in the Mizuno Wildcat Classic.

Davidson improved to 3-0 while JMU dropped to 1-2. The Wildcats won by game scores of 30-28, 22-30, 22-30, 30-25, and 15-11. It was the first match of the season for either team to go more than three games, with the Dukes responding by compiling a negative attack percentage in both games four and five.

Peele, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week after her first week, registered a career-high 23 kills and added five digs and three blocks. She was supported by a pair of double-doubles with freshman Hayley Lawson (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) contributing 45 assists and 12 digs and senior Katie Pierucci (Bakersfield, Calif./Centennial) adding 14 kills and 10 digs.

Senior Allyson Halls (Columbus, Ohio/Olentangy) had a season-high 19 kills for the Dukes along with six blocks. Freshman Lindsay Callahan (Virginia Beach, Va./Landstown) narrowly missed her first collegiate double-double with 14 kills, nine digs, and four blocks. Junior Michelle Johnson (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos) had 11 kills and six blocks. Sophomore Kaitlin McFaddin (Natural Bridge Station, Va./Rockbridge) added 10 kills. Senior Jena Pierson (San Antonio, Texas/James Madison) had 28 digs to pull within 22 of the career record of 1,570 held by Lindsay Collingwood.

Game one was the tightest of the match with neither team leading by more than three points. The score was tied at 28-28 when junior Kittery Neale (Gainesville, Fla./Oak Hall Academy) put down a kill. Senior Courtney Cron (Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manual) followed with a service ace for the win. Peele had six kills in the opener with Pierucci adding five. Halls was dominant in game one with six kills on seven swings for a .857 success rate.

Game two saw Pierson tally eight of her digs, and the Dukes held the Wildcats to a -.022 attack percentage for the 30-22 win. JMU led 15-13 when it went on an 8-3 streak for a 23-16 advantage.