Sept. 2, 2006

East Tennessee State Stats | UNC Greensboro Stats

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Cleveland State defeated East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro to finish with a spotless 3-0 mark at the UNC Asheville Volleyball Classic. Tournament MVP Mel Snyder helped the Vikings (5-2) extend their streak to five consecutive years with an early season tourney title. Snyder was joined on the all-tournament team by Liz Fazio and Jenni Ramminger.

"Those were three good, solid wins," CSU head coach Chuck Voss said. "Mel was deserving of the MVP honor, but she'd be the first to tell you it was a true team effort."

CSU's biggest test of the weekend came in their morning match with East Tennessee State (3-2) which went down to the wire in the fifth game. Trailing 7-1 and 14-11, the Vikings rallied for an 18-16 victory to claim the match. CSU had won the first (30-22) and fourth games (30-17), with ETSU claiming the second (30-25) and third (30-13).

"We were a little unlucky at the beginning of the fifth game, but we were able to turn things around by playing solid volleyball," Voss said. "Our passing was up-and-down the entire match, but we got some big blocks when we needed them."

Alexis Korovich led a balanced attack with 16 kills and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season. Fazio (13 kills), Ramminger (11), Beth Greulich (10) and Danielle Siefker (10) each joined Korovich in double figures, while Greulich and Ramminger each notched six blocks.

Callie Kiselich led the Buccaneers with a match-high 20 kills and four blocks.

The Vikings had a much easier time in the afternoon, blanking UNC Greensboro (6-2), 30-13, 30-26, 30-26. CSU hit .264 while limiting the Spartans to a .071 mark.

Korovich once again paced the Vikings with 11 kills with Ramminger adding 10.

Cleveland State rounds out its early season tournament play with a visit to Rochester, Mich. for the Oakland Invitational on Sept. 8-9. The Vikings will face Bowling Green and Indiana State in addition to the host Golden Grizzlies.