Dukes Top Colonials To Split Friday’s Action At George Washington Invitational

Friday, September 16

Washington, D.C.

11 a.m.

James Madison University

7-4

Northern Illinois

6-4

James Madison

Northern Illinois

Dukes Top Colonials To Split Friday’s Action At George Washington Invitational

9/16/2016 1:14:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 @JMUVolleyball NIU Box Score GWU Box Score 2016 Schedule/Results JMU Volleyball Facebook

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After falling to Northern Illinois (6-4) in straight sets (19-25, 13-25, 16-25) to open the George Washington Invitational, James Madison volleyball (8-4) topped the host Colonials (6-5) in four sets (25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-15) to split Friday's action inside the Charles E. Smith Center.

The Dukes bounced back in the Friday's nightcap, attacking at a .287 team clip while out-blocking the Colonials 10 to four. Sophomore middle block Taylor Gail topped the defense with four blocks as seven different Dukes contributed in the team's double-digit block effort.

Freshman outside hitter Briley Brind'Amour led the Dukes with a career-high 15 kills and attacked at a team-high .452 clip, while adding two digs, one service ace and a block assist. Senior right side hitter Janey Goodman chipped in 14 kills and three blocks. Sophomore setter Tilbe Yaglioglu dished out 28 assists while junior libero Taylor Austin added double-digit kills with 24.

The Dukes broke through in a closely contested first set with a 5-0 run to take a 12-8 lead that the Dukes would never relinquish, taking the first set 25-17. George Washington jumped out to a 6-1 lead to open the second set, but the Dukes fought from behind, using a Colonial attacking error to lock the match up at 17-all. JMU completed the come-from-behind 25-22 victory with a kill from Brind'Amour to take a 2-0 lead into the set break.

George Washington answered with a 25-19 victory in the third set, but James Madison tallied 10 of the first 15 points in the fourth and decisive set to build an insurmountable lead, taking the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.

James Madison opened the George Washington Invitational falling to Northern Illinois in straight sets. The Huskies kept JMU's hot hitting to a minimum, using eight blocks to hold the Dukes to a .096 team attacking percentage compared to the Huskies' .312 mark. James Madison was quiet at the net with just two blocks as Goodman paced the way with two block assists.

Goodman added a team-leading 12 kills on a .219 clip, while chipping in two digs. Brind'Amour and sophomore outside hitter Bryn Recker tallied six kills each. Yaglioglu garnered a team-leading 12 assists. Defensively, Austin topped the Dukes with 16 digs.

Aided by seven kills, NIU jumped out to a 13-7 lead to open the match. James Madison clawed with three points, 16-13, capitalizing on Huskie errors, but NIU used two separate runs to win the opening set, 25-19. After trading points early in the second set, the NIU offense used a .440 hitting percentage and a 6-0 run to close the set with a 25-13 victory, taking a 2-0 lead into the set break.
After NIU tallied the first three points of the final set, JMU clawed within three points, 15-12, after three straight kills from Goodman to force a NIU timeout. The Huskies stormed back to win the set, 25-16, and take the match in straight sets.

QUOTING COACH STEINBRECHER
'I could not be more proud of this team and how they responded tonight. It took a total team effort to beat a really good team at their place. It will be fun to play another strong team in the morning."

TWEET OF THE MATCH

@JMUVolleyball WAY TO GO, DUUUUUUUKES! #DigTheDukes #GoDukes https://t.co/0TgA7sbbcm
— James Hickey (@PressBoxGuy) September 17, 2016

RECORD WATCH
Goodman continues her historic rise in the James Madison record book as her 14 kills against George Washington moved the senior into fourth place on the all-time kills list with 1,341. The Powhatan, Va. native is now just 14 kills shy over overtaking Lindsay Callahan (2007-10) who sits in third with 1,354. Lindsay Collingwood (1996-99) holds JMU's record with 1,872 kills over her career.

UP NEXT
The Dukes wrap up the George Washington Invitational, their final tournament of the regular season, on Saturday morning with a 10:30 a.m. match with Tennessee. James Madison will return to Sinclair Gym inside Godwin Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 21 hosting William &Mary to open Colonial Athletic Association action.