Volleyball Kicks Off 2024 Campaign With Sweep Over Delaware State

Friday, August 30

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

1-0,0-0Sun Belt

Delaware State

0-2,0-0MEAC

Delaware St.

James Madison

Volleyball Kicks Off 2024 Campaign With Sweep Over Delaware State

8/30/2024 10:18:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The James Madison volleyball team opened its 2024 season with a convincing 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 28-26) sweep over Delaware State to open the LD&B Insurance Invitational at the Convocation Center on Friday evening.

The Dukes moved to 1-0 while Delaware State fell to 0-2 after dropping a five-set decision to Stony Brook earlier this afternoon.

Fifth-year senior Miëtte Veldman led JMU's attack with nine kills while also finishing with four digs and a block. Classmate Savanah Cockrill tallied a career-high eight kills while freshman Sarah Schnell picked up seven kills at a .500 clip.

Defensively, middle Annie Smith racked up five blocks, including three solo denials. The Dukes held Delaware State to a .093 hitting percentage while totaling eight blocks and 44 digs.

For the Hornets, Aaliyah Mitchell led the offensive output with 10 kills, while Alondra Maldonado also finished with seven terminations of her own. Hannah Sanders led DSU defensively with four blocks.

How It Happened

Set One: JMU 25-17

The Dukes opened up a 15-11 lead which forced a Delaware State timeout.
Kills from Veldman, Schnell, and Olivia Vance extended the advantage to 22-14.
JMU took a 1-0 lead in the match on a DSU attacking error.
The Dukes hit a robust .577 mark in the first while holding the Hornets to .133.

Set Two: JMU 25-15

Three service aces, including two in a row from Smith, helped the Dukes jump out to a 14-7 lead in the second game.
Consecutive kills from Schnell and Vance gave JMU set point, and a DSU service error gave the Dukes a commanding 2-0 sets lead.
JMU held Delaware State to a -.107 hitting percentage in the set.

Set Three: JMU 28-26

A DSU service ace forced the Dukes to burn a timeout with the score knotted 14-14.
The teams traded runs, with JMU scoring three straight to pull ahead 19-17.
After falling behind 24-22, the Dukes rattled off three straight to jump ahead 25-24 on a kill from Cockrill.
After DSU used a 3-0 run of its own to see-saw ahead 26-25, JMU scored three straight, with Smith finishing off the match with a kill and solo block.

Match Notes

The attendance of 560 fans is the fifth-highest total since the Dukes moved to the Convocation Center last season.
JMU moves to 3-0 against Delaware State in the all-time series.
Senior libero Jaydyn Clemmer now owns 1,027 career digs, inching her closer to 10^th-most in program history (Patti Bucaria – 1,084)
Veldman's nine kills pushed her career total to 1,311. She now sits sixth in JMU career kills, moving past Allyson Halls (2004-07).

Up Next
The Dukes return to action at Noon tomorrow against Stony Brook. The match can be heard on the Varsity Network App, with Curt Dudley on the call.