NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion volleyball claimed the opening set, 26-24, but Marshall took the next three as the Monarchs fell, 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at the ODU Volleyball Center.
Asked about the importance of coming out with some energy, ODU head coach Fred Chao said it was important for his team.
“The belief is still there and the work is still there. It’s not panic, it’s just an urgency and let’s start putting it together.”
ODU is now 4-17 overall and 0-10 against Sun Belt opponents, while Marshall improved to 14-7 with a 7-3 mark in conference play.
The series marked ODU’s Dig Pink and Alumni Weekend. The Monarchs partnered with the ODU chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha and the Side-Out Foundation, and the team also welcomed back a number of former players and members of the coaching staff.
“It helps keep things in perspective. The cause is way bigger than a volleyball game or a volleyball career. I think that helps put things in perspective, and having the alums back that shaped and molded this program, that also puts things in perspective. You also have a legacy to leave and what’s that going to be? If it helps you to play harder, then play harder.”
Marshall 3, ODU 1
In the opening set, a Marshall service error, a kill by Leilani Lawrence, and a block by Taylor Motes and Katie Rakoski forced the Thundering Herd to call an early timeout with ODU leading, 12-8. The visitors pulled even at 15-15, but a couple of good swings by Emma DiRocco and another by Rita Benidio highlighted a 4-1 swing that gave the Monarchs some cushion, 19-16. Momentum shifted towards Marshall as the Herd seized control, 23-21, but Lawrence terminated a ball from Kyra Hampton, Benidio and Motes followed with a block, and Lawrence then served an ace to bring up set point. The Herd evened the score at 24-24 with a kill from Marae Reilly, but a Benidio kill and an attack error by Reilly allowed ODU to claim the set, 26-24.
The Silver and Blue themselves a 5-1 hole to start the second set, but Motes converted an attack to open up a 5-0 ODU response. The Monarchs pulled ahead, 9-6 as Hampton and Motes denied a Marshall attack attempt, but the Herd countered with four straight points to overtake ODU, 10-9. The Monarchs fell behind, 22-18 late in the set, but Hampton assisted Benidio to open a 6-0 push as the home team grabbed control, 24-22. Old Dominion couldn’t close out the set though as Marshall won the next four rallies for a 26-24 tally that tied the match at a set apiece.
Down 6-3 in the third set, a Lawrence service ace capped off a 5-0 run that gave ODU the lead, 8-6. Rakoski scored a kill to break an 11-11 tie, but Marshall took off with six unanswered points to jump ahead, 17-12. Marshall put together another 4-0 run to pull away, 21-13, and the Herd held on to grab another set point, 25-17.
Marshall burned an early timeout in the fourth set after a Lawrence ace had the Monarchs out front, 7-5. ODU held a narrow 15-14 advantage at the media timeout and was up 21-20 when Marshall’s Emma Barnett and Logan Henderson scored consecutive kills and Barnett served an ace. Following an ODU timeout, a kill by Rakoski and a solo block by Motes evened the set at 23-23, but Barnett assisted Maddie Smith before an ODU attack error brought the match to an end.
Lawrence hit .237 and led ODU with 16 kills. Benidio recorded a 14-kill, 10-dig double-double, and Rakoski also scored 14 kills. Hampton set a new career high with 44 assists, Lawrence served three aces, and Hampton and Gent served two each. Gent and Duffy also set new personal bests with 22 and 13 digs, respectively. At the net, Motes recorded a career-high six blocks and Hampton made four.
There were 45 ties in the match and 22 lead changes. The Monarchs had more digs, 66-57, but the Herd held the advantage in kills (56-55), assists (54-51), service aces (9-7), and blocks (11-8). Marshall also outhit ODU, .247 to .210.
Up Next
ODU will head to Ruston, Louisiana next weekend for its first ever meeting with Sun Belt newcomer, Louisiana Tech. The Sun Belt series will begin with a 7 p.m. ET match next Friday, Oct. 30. The Monarchs and Bulldogs will then play again at 12 p.m. ET on Halloween.
On how today’s performance will motivate the Monarchs with three weekends left in the regular season, Chao added, “Hopefully it carries over. We still have young players that are finally back on the upswing of confidence and consistency. So this should help.”