Oct. 24, 2000

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Samford volleyball team knew they had to win their last three conference matches to earn a spot in the Trans America Athletic Conference tournament heading into their match with Jacksonville State on Tuesday night. After the match it looked like Jacksonville State was the team fighting for a tournament spot.

The Gamecocks (8-15, 1-4 TAAC) swept the best of five match 15-9, 15-9, 15-10 behind the play of Kelby Rumph who had 11 kills and 12 digs. Eysha Ambler added nine kills as Jacksonville State earned its first conference win of the season.

Samford (11-15, 2-5 TAAC) played an uninspired match falling behind in game one 9-5. The Bulldogs rallied to tie the game at 9-9, but then allowed the Gamecocks to go on a six point run to close out the game. The second game was a carbon copy of the first. Again the game was tied at 9-9 and JSU ran off six straight points. In the final game, Samford went ahead 6-2. JSU rallied to once again tie the game at 9-9. From there the Gamecocks scored six of the final seven points.

The Bulldogs were led by seven kills from Whitney Miller and seven digs from Miller and Shellie Ouldhouse.

Jacksonville State out-hit the Bulldogs .234- .032 and out blocked Samford 7-3.

The Bulldogs still have an outside shot at making the TAAC Tournament, but those odds rest squarly on winning their final two matches against Mercer and Troy State.

Samford will try to rebound as it returns home on Friday night to face Mercer in a 7 p.m. match at Seibert Hall.