From July 7-August 5, GoASU.com will recap Appalachian State University athletics' 30 most memorable games, matches and meets from the 2009-10 academic year. Check back daily to relive the excitement from a fantastic year!

Volleyball Stuns Samford, Captures Thrilling 3-2 Victory

October 11, 2009

BOONE, N.C.-After falling behind 2-1 Appalachian State University volleyball rallied a comeback and shocked SoCon North Division leader Samford, handing the Bulldogs a thrilling 3-2 defeat. With the victory, Appalachian defeats the Bulldogs for the first time in school history, with just three meetings between the two squads and improves to 8-12 on the season and 4-2 in SoCon action. Samford drops its first SoCon match of the 2009 season and snaps an eight match winning streak.

Samford came out strong in first set play, going up by as many as seven points. Despite a solid effort by the Mountaineers a 6-0 run by Samford proved to the set-changer as three Appalachian attack errors and and two solo blocks by Shelby Brandon gave the Bulldogs a 13-7 advantage. ASU crawled back within four points at the 14-10 mark with Becca Norris recording a kill and Maja Jechorek and Norris combining for a block assist.

The Black and Gold's effort was not enough as Samford took advantage of Appalachian's errors and continued with its offensive assault, as Brandon paced the attack, putting the Bulldogs up 17-10. ASU cut their deficit to just four points after three straight kills by Lauren Swecker, Maggie Seeds and Norris. However, ASU would tally just one more point and the Bulldogs closed the set out on a 6-1 run to earn a 25-16 first set win.

Appalachian did not back down, as they battled back and forth with Samford in second set action. The Apps notched a four point advantage at the 14-10 mark, thanks in part to a 4-0 run. With Seeds and Sedon recording kills and Kasey Sauls earning a service ace.

Samford would not go away quietly, as the Bulldogs came storming back to take a 15-14 lead, but a kill by sophomore Kelly Rhein knotted the match at 15 all and an attack error by Sarah Gardner put ASU up for good at the 16-15 mark. The Mountaineers were able to maintain their lead in the waning points of the second set, going up by as many as three points and hung on for a 25-21 second set victory, to tie the match at one all.

The third set was all Samford, who came out on fire putting ASU down by as many as five points early on, with Sheriden Stangohr, Rachel Gadberry and Hillary Fountain all contributing to SU's lead.

Samford did not relinquish its advantage, pushing the score to 16-10. Appalachian tried to rally, as a kill by Sedon, a Bulldog attack error and a Sauls service ace pulled the Apps back within three. That would be the closest of margins for the Black and Gold who dropped the third set 25-19.

After falling behind 10-4, it seemed as though the match would come to a close for ASU, but the Apps continued to fight, as an 8-2 Mountaineer run put the Apps right back into the mix, tying the set at 12 all. It was three straight Bulldog errors and points by Swecker, Sedon and Kelly Rhein that helped ASU get back into the match.

Appalachian continued with its impressive play, taking its first lead of the contest at the 15-12 mark, with Rhein scoring two points and Sauls posting another service ace. The spark was all Appalachian needed, as Samford would not lead again, despite tying the set at 16 all.

It was freshman Kelsey Kuehner who kept ASU ahead, notching her first two kills of the match to push Appalachian's advantage to 18-16. Another kill by Kuehner and two kills by Seeds helped the Apps capture a 25-17 fourth set win, tying the match at 2-2.

The Mountaineers carried their momentum into the fifth set grabbing a commanding 8-3 lead, with Seeds getting in on the majority of action, with three kills and combining for a block assist with Sedon. Senior libero Cassie Engelgau's second kill of the season could not have come at a better time giving the Black and Gold the five point cushion.

Samford tried to keep pace with ASU, tying the set on five more occassions, with the final tie at the 14 all mark, but a kill by Norris and attack error by Allie Bettinger gave the Mountaineers the thrilling 16-14 fifth set win and 3-2 match victory.

It was all Seeds on the offensive front for Appalachian, as she recorded a career-high 16 kills, with five block assists. Sauls was impressive as well, tying a career-high three aces and a season-high 48 assists.

GoASU.com's 30 Most Memorable Games of 2009-10
30. Football 52, Georgia Southern 16 (Oct. 24, 2009)
29. Men's Tennis 6, Davidson 1 (Apr. 18, 2010)
28. Women's Tennis 4, Charlotte 3 (Apr. 8, 2010)
27. Women's Indoor Track and Field SoCon Championship (2nd) (Feb. 25-26, 2010)
26. Men's Soccer 3, Alabama A&M 2 (Sept. 11, 2009)
25. Softball 7, Virginia Tech 5 (April 7, 2010)
24. Casey Johnson Wins Men's Golf Spring Hill Suites Intercollegiate (Sept. 15, 2009)
23. Women's Outdoor Track and Field SoCon Championship (2nd)
22. Wrestling 21, The Citadel 16 (Jan. 24, 2010)
21. Volleyball 3, Samford 2 (Oct. 11, 2009)
20. July 17
19. July 18
18. July 19
17. July 20
16. July 21
15. July 22
14. July 23
13. July 24
12. July 25
11. July 26
10. July 27
9. July 28
8. July 29
7. July 30
6. July 31
5. August 1
4. August 2
3. August 3
2. August 4
1. August 5