WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Cleveland State volleyball team opened up the 2017 season Friday, facing a pair of Power Five teams on the first day of the Purdue Mortar Board Invitational. In their opening match, the Vikings dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 match against Alabama, while they fell 3-0 to No. 25 Purdue in the night's finale.
Cleveland State vs. Alabama Box Score
Match Stats
· Alexis Middlebrooks led the Viking offense with 20 kills on a .366 hitting percentage (20-5-41), while Trinniti Hall added 17 kills and Emily DeGeorge posted 13 kills.
· Gina Kilner tallied 52 assists along with 12 digs and six kills.
· Shannon Grega led the Viking defense with 20 digs, while Emily DeGeorge added 18 digs.
· Mariah Carrero-Johnson and Alexis Middlebrooks both tallied four blocks, while Katie Mihalik added three blocks.
Match Notes
· Alexis Middlebrooks tied her career-high with her 20-kill performance.
· Appearing in her first collegiate match, Emily DeGeorge tallied her first career double-double with 13 kills and 18 digs.
· Trinniti Hall set a career-best with her 17 kills.
Cleveland State vs. Purdue Box Score
Match Stats
· Trinniti Hall and Alexis Middlebrooks both tallied a team-best eight kills on the match, while Rachel Stover added seven and Sara Skeens posted six.
· Shannon Grega posted 11 digs, while Trinniti Hall added six.
· Alexis Middlebrooks recorded a pair of block assists, while Rachel Stover and Sara Skeens each added one.
Match Notes
· Purdue marked the second of three Power Five teams that the Vikings will face this season.
CSU Career Record Book Notes
· With her 76 assists on the first day of the Purdue Mortar Board Invitational, Gina Kilner now has 3,275 career helpers, ranking sixth all-time.
· Shannon Grega is now just 25 digs shy of 1,000 for her career after combining for 31 digs on the day.
· After posting four blocks against Alabama and a pair against Purdue, Alexis Middlebrooks moved into ninth place with 352 total blocks on her career.
Up Next
· Cleveland State will close out play at the Purdue Mortar Board Invitational tomorrow (Saturday, August 26), facing Oral Roberts at 12:00 p.m.
Purdue Mortar Board Invitational Results
No. 25 Purdue 3, Oral Roberts 0
Alabama 3, Cleveland State 2
Alabama 3, Oral Roberts 0
No. 25 Purdue 3, Cleveland State 0