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September 9, 2000
FT. COLLINS, Col.- Auburn began their final march of the Holiday Inn University Park Tournament focusing on taking the match victory from the Drake University Bulldogs. Falling to Colorado State and California-Santa Barbara in the first two matches of the tournament, the Tigers happily took the 3-1 match victory from the Bulldogs of Drake University.
Auburn Head Coach Kevin Renshler, while pleased with the outcome of the match, described some problems the Tigers had tonight. "This was a match where they found a way to win. They didn't play precise or intense volleyball and it showed in the final statistics of the game."
The Tigers first point of the match was scored by Brooke McCarley, her first of four for the game. The Tigers and the Bulldogs battled fiercely, bringing the game to a 6-6 tie. With the Bulldogs taking a 13-8 lead, the Tigers took a time out to regroup and come back to score three points on Drake, bringing the score to 13-11. However, the Tigers were not able to take the game win from the Bulldogs as they defeated Auburn 15-11.
The second game began with Auburn and Drake fighting for the lead, leaving the game tied at a score of 2-2 for a long stretch. However, the Tigers stepped up, bringing the score to a 9-2 lead against the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs never recovered the lead, and Auburn came away with their first game victory of the tournament. With six kills by Nicole Sandifer and 15 assists by Traci Price, the Tigers took the game with a score of 15-12.
Starting the third game, the Tigers fell to an early deficit of 4-0, but quickly came back, taking the lead 7-4 going into the first time out. With the game point on the line for the Tigers at 14-12, Auburn took the victory over Drake with a score of 15-12.
Ahead 2-1 in the match, Auburn went into the fourth game intent on taking the match victory from Drake. Not wasting any time, the Tigers won the game 15-6, winning their first match of the tournament. Melanie Wille led the Tigers in kills with six for the game, while the team had three blocks against Drake's one.
Nicole Sandifer led the Tigers tonight with a hitting percentage of .529. The team had an impressive 13 blocks to the Bulldogs four.
The Tigers, now 4-2 for the season, will play their home opener on Tuesday, Sept. 12 against Florida A&M.
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