J. Andrew Lockwood
Senior Editor / Columnist
It wasn’t even a close match in the University Center last Saturday as Noelle Rooke’s team smashed the visiting USC-Upstate Spartans 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-11). Posting its second straight win before two more home games this upcoming weekend to cap the season, Mercer (8-17, 6-11) held the Spartans to a -0.011 hitting percentage for the match off of a 10-4 team blocking margin.
“Everything we worked on all week came together for us,” said Rooke on MercerBears.com. She added, “Our defense was phenomenal and today everybody contributed. It was a team win.”
Speaking of defense, juniors Libby Hansch, Krista Hurley, and Erica Vrvilo would record 4 block assist each with Hansch and teammate Anna Coursey tallying solo blocks. Set by set, USC-Upstate was stalemated each time, hitting 0.077, 0.057, and -0.156 respectively.
On the other side of the net, the offensive attack by the Bears was relentless as Amiee Frutchey would led Mercer with 11 kills on 23 attempts (.304 hitting percentage). Hurley would add 8 kills while teammates Vrvilo (7 kills), Hansch (6 kills), Rachel Urbelis (6 kills) and Coursey (5 kills) would pile on the offensive attack. Guiding the 6-2 offense were setters Chelsea Gebben (1 kill, 20 assists) and Nickie Halbert (15 assists) who generously passed out plenty of kill opportunities over the course of the match. Mercer’s blazing hot hitting percentage (.429, .163, .417) kept USC-Upstate on their heels for a majority of the match while the Bears net players displayed textbook blocking at the net.
USC-Upstate would be lead by Kelsie Queen with 6 kills on 24 opportunities (-.042 hitting percentage) while Morgan Thomas and Katie Downey would chip in with 5 kills. Unfortunately, the only leads the Spartans would see were early 2-1 advantages in the first two sets. Otherwise, each game appeared to be rather lopsided near the end.
Mercer takes on Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast to close out their home schedule this season before the final two matches against North Florida and Jacksonville to end the 2009 campaign. With no chance at earning a post-season berth in the Atlantic Sun tournament, the Bears will face two of the league’s best teams in Jacksonville and FGCU in their final matches while aiming to post another double-digit mark in the win column.
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