Friday, September 10
Omaha, Neb.
12:30 PM
Creighton University
7-1,0-0Big East
3
vs
0
SMU
2-4,0-0AAC
1
2
3
F
SMU
13
12
22
0
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Naomi HIckman had five of CU's 11 blocks on Friday vs. SMU
Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
Volleyball Opens Bluejay Invitational With 3-0 Win vs. SMU
9/10/2021 3:26:00 PM | Volleyball
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Bluejays improve to 7-1 this fall
OMAHA, Neb. -- The No. 19 Creighton Volleyball team improved to 7-1 on the season with a 3-0 sweep over SMU on Friday afternoon at the Bluejay Invitational. Scores of the match were 25-13, 25-12, 25-22.
Jaela Zimmerman had 12 kills and hit .524 in the victory, while Norah Sis had 10 kills and a three aces for the Bluejays. Abby Bottomley led all players with 18 digs and also picked up a rare kill. Kendra Wait dished 33 assists and had five blocks while directing a Bluejay offense that hit .303. Creighton recorded 44 kills, 43 digs and 11 blocks and nine aces while committing just three service errors.
SMU (2-4) was paced by seven kills from Rachel Woulfe and Omaha native Lily Heim distributed 20 assists. SMU had 27 kills, one ace, 34 digs and four blocks on .081 hitting.
Creighton had five aces in the first set to set the tone for the match. A 7-0 run on Bottomley's serve put the Jays ahead 9-3 and set the done for the day. Ally Van Eekeren dealt consecutive aces to push the margin to 18-11, and Naomi Hickman closed out the frame with three straight kills. Zimmerman had kills on each of her first seven swings to lead CU in the first game.
Consecutive aces by Sis helped stake the Bluejays to an 8-2 run in the second set Annika Welty had a hand in four of CU's five blocks as the Jays forced the Mustangs into -.094 hitting on 32 swings.
Creighton never trailed in the third set, but didn't close out SMU until a kill from Hickman on match point. Keeley Davis had six kills and an ace in the final set while Sis added five kills and three digs.
In the first match of the tournament, Illinois defeated Nebraska-Omaha in four sets.
Play at the Bluejay Invitational continues Friday night when Illinois squares off against SMU.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. when it meets Illinois.
NOTES: Creighton also swept SMU in the only previous meeting in 2018 in Dallas ... Creighton has won 135 straight matches when hitting .300 or better ... Abby Bottomley has had double-figure digs in each of her last 21 matches ... Creighton improved to 27-16 all-time at the Bluejay Invitaional and has never gone winless the 16 times it has been hosted ... Creighton's Emily Bressman was high school teammates with SMU's Lily Heim at Omaha Marian High School ... Creighton improved to 11-2 all-time in its first home match of the season inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
Jaela Zimmerman had 12 kills and hit .524 in the victory, while Norah Sis had 10 kills and a three aces for the Bluejays. Abby Bottomley led all players with 18 digs and also picked up a rare kill. Kendra Wait dished 33 assists and had five blocks while directing a Bluejay offense that hit .303. Creighton recorded 44 kills, 43 digs and 11 blocks and nine aces while committing just three service errors.
SMU (2-4) was paced by seven kills from Rachel Woulfe and Omaha native Lily Heim distributed 20 assists. SMU had 27 kills, one ace, 34 digs and four blocks on .081 hitting.
Creighton had five aces in the first set to set the tone for the match. A 7-0 run on Bottomley's serve put the Jays ahead 9-3 and set the done for the day. Ally Van Eekeren dealt consecutive aces to push the margin to 18-11, and Naomi Hickman closed out the frame with three straight kills. Zimmerman had kills on each of her first seven swings to lead CU in the first game.
Consecutive aces by Sis helped stake the Bluejays to an 8-2 run in the second set Annika Welty had a hand in four of CU's five blocks as the Jays forced the Mustangs into -.094 hitting on 32 swings.
Creighton never trailed in the third set, but didn't close out SMU until a kill from Hickman on match point. Keeley Davis had six kills and an ace in the final set while Sis added five kills and three digs.
In the first match of the tournament, Illinois defeated Nebraska-Omaha in four sets.
Play at the Bluejay Invitational continues Friday night when Illinois squares off against SMU.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. when it meets Illinois.
NOTES: Creighton also swept SMU in the only previous meeting in 2018 in Dallas ... Creighton has won 135 straight matches when hitting .300 or better ... Abby Bottomley has had double-figure digs in each of her last 21 matches ... Creighton improved to 27-16 all-time at the Bluejay Invitaional and has never gone winless the 16 times it has been hosted ... Creighton's Emily Bressman was high school teammates with SMU's Lily Heim at Omaha Marian High School ... Creighton improved to 11-2 all-time in its first home match of the season inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
Team Stats
SMU
CU
Kills
27
44
Errors
19
14
Attempts
99
99
Hitting %
.081
.303
Points
32.0
64.0
Assists
25
38
Aces
1
9
Blocks
4.0
11.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
DS
/ Volleyball
DS/OH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB/RS
/ VolleyballOH
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