NORFOLK, Va. (11/15/24) – Another balanced attack propelled the Arkansas State volleyball team to its ninth consecutive victory – a 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 17-25, 25-17, 15-8) thriller at Old Dominion to clinch the 2024 Sun Belt Conference regular-season crown.
A-State (24-4, 14-2 SBC) battled back from a 2-1 deficit in the match to upend the Monarchs (16-11, 5-9) on Senior Night, with four players tallying 10 or more kills. The Red Wolves' conference title is their first regular-season championship since a co-championship in 2016, and their first outright crown since 2015.
For the second straight night, much of the production came from the middle of the net. Daedrianna Cail led the charge with 16 kills and just one error on 22 swings to hit .682, while she also had a team-high five blocks. Haley Glunz added 12 kills and four blocks. Both Kaitlin Whitlock and Grace Wiley had 10 kills on the night.
Defensively, Sarah Martinez collected a season-high 30 digs, matching her career best, while adding 12 assists for the double-double. Whitlock also recorded a double-double, corralling 18 digs. Erin Madigan gave A-State its third double-double performer with 24 assists and 12 digs.
The Red Wolves did not trail in the opening set, leading by as much as eight after a kill by Glunz made it 21-3. After ODU pulled back within four, Abby Harris clinched the 25-19 set win with back-to-back kills.
In the second set, the Monarchs used a 5-0 run to break a 16-all tie and ultimately hold a 24-19 lead. The Red Wolves scored four straight to keep the frame alive, but Emma Schelah recorded a kill to help the Monarchs level the match at a set apiece.
ODU then maintained its momentum in the third set, never trailing and taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
A-State answered in the fourth set, using a 5-0 run to take a 14-10 lead, which it expanded to 22-14 following a block by Wiley and Glunz. Addison Collum then registered a kill to give the Scarlet and Black set point up 24-16, followed by one of Alice Munari's match-high 18 kills on the night. A service error by the Monarchs would send the match into a fifth set, as A-State won the fourth 25-17.
After ODU owned a one-point lead early in the fifth, the Red Wolves claimed six of the next seven points to open up an 8-4 lead. The hosts would pull within three, but Whitlock capped a match-clinching victory with an ace, also cementing the Red Wolves atop the conference table.
NEXT UP
By winning the West Division, Arkansas State earns a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, and will return to action at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, against the winner of Thursday's match between the East No. 4 seed and West No. 5 seed. The full Sun Belt Tournament bracket will be revealed Saturday.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow the team on Twitter (@AStateVB) and Instagram (astatevb) along with liking the Arkansas State Red Wolves Volleyball page on Facebook for the latest news and updates regarding the team.
