September 8, 2001
FURMAN SWEEPS INVITATIONAL FIELD
LAURA HOOKS NAMED MVP
GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- Furman's Lady Paladin volleyball team earned three three-game victories at the Furman Invitational Friday and Saturday to sweep the field and improve to 4-1 on the year. The Lady Paladins' last victory was over a Central Florida team that also entered the final match with a pair of three-game tournament wins to its credit.
Game one of the Furman-UCF match was tight, with the Lady Paladins scratching out a 30-27 decision, but FU was more dominant in game two and posted the 30-19 win before taking the final game 30-21. Furman junior Abby Simon (Simpsonville, S.C.) tallied a team-high 20 kills in the victory, while Laura Bush and Laura Hooks each added 11. In addition, Amber Montague led the Paladin defense with 12 digs, while Carrie Rowley added 11.
Furman pounded the ball offensively, hitting .370 for the match with 59 kills - 18 more than the Golden Knights. Game two saw the most obvious Furman swing when the Lady Paladins outhit UCF .432 to .027. Hooks earned 40 assists on the day, while Bush topped the squad in net defense, with two block solos and two block assists in her strongest match of the tournament.
In the 11 a.m. game on Saturday, Furman remained undefeated in Invitational play with a 30-19, 30-18, 30-20 victory over the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern. The Lady Paladins hit .340 for the match, while holding CSU to a .037 attack percentage. In addition, the Lady Paladins outserved Charleston Southern, with 10 aces to the Bucs' three, and tallied 43 digs to CSU' 35. Ammy Simon and Laura Bush led the Lady Paladin offensive effort, with 11 kills each, while Carrie Rowley added 10.
In the second match of the day, Central Florida took a 30-17, 30-18, 30-11 win over Gardner-Webb. The Golden Knights recorded five team blocks and a .375 hitting percentage in the victory, and were led offensively by Leyre Sante and Cassy Kerner's 15 kills apiece. Piper Morgan added 14 kills to the UCF effort, while Lindsey Whalen tallied 14 digs for the match.
The third game of the day pitted Charleston Southern against Gardner-Webb - two teams that were winless in the Furman Invitational. CSU proved to be the stronger team, defeating the Bulldogs 30-25, 30-16, 30-27.
The Furman Invitational All-Tournament team featured Lady Paladins Laura Bush, Abby Simon, and tournament MVP Laura Hooks, as well as UCF standouts Leyre Santaella Sante and Cassy Kerner. Gardner-Webb's Linette Ramseur and Charleston Southern's Jennifer Monson rounded out the all-tournament picks.
Furman will open its 2001 Southern Conference volleyball season Tuesday night at 7 p.m., in a home match against UNC Greensboro.
Furman Invitational Saturday Results
Furman def. Charleston Southern 30-19, 30-18, 30-20
UCF def. Gardner-Webb 30-17, 30-18, 30-11
Charleston Southern def. Gardner-Webb 30-25, 30-16, 30-27
Furman def. Central Florida 30-27, 30-19, 30-21