Volleyball Sweeps High Point 3-0 to Take Tournament Title

Saturday, September 10

High Point, N.C.

James Madison University

5-3

High Point

6-2

Davidson

James Madison

Volleyball Sweeps High Point 3-0 to Take Tournament Title

9/11/2011 2:35:00 AM | Volleyball

Box Score

HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 10, 2011 - Redshirt junior Natalie Abel (Washington, Pa./Trinity) notched a game-high 13 kills and added 12 digs as the James Madison volleyball team swept High Point 3-0 Saturday night in the final match of the High Point Classic at Millis Center.

The Dukes extended their win streak to seven games and improved to 7-2 this season, while the Panthers fell to 1-8 this year.

Abel, who tallied 36 kills and 53 digs for the weekend, including a career-high 30 earlier Saturday, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by sophomore Katie Daorai (Tampa, Fla./Plant), who had 45 digs in the three wins.

High Point jumped out to a 6-2 lead early in the first set, but JMU reeled off five points in a row to grab a 7-6 advantage. The Dukes extended their lead to 19-13 late in the set, forcing HPU into a timeout. The Panthers scored five of the next seven points to pull within three at 21-18, but Madison ended the set on a 4-1 run to take the 1-0 match lead.

Trailing 6-4 in set two, JMU scored five in a row to take a 9-6 lead. The Dukes upped the advantage to six at 14-8 and High Point never came closer than five points the rest of the set as JMU ended the frame on a 5-1 run to take the second set 25-15 and a 2-0 match lead.

Madison opened the third and final set taking nine of 11 points to take a 9-2 lead. High Point scored five straight to pull to within 9-7, but JMU answered back with an 8-3 run to hold a 17-10 advantage. The Panthers crept back with five in a row to narrow the margin to 17-15. Trailing 24-21, HPU scored the next two, but freshman Lizzy Briones (Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs) ended the match with a kill.