Karasek records 1,000th career kill Saturday

The Mustang volleyball team left Moody Coliseum Saturday nightwith a 2-1 record in the SMU Invitational, the opening tournamentof the 2004 season.

Only the University of Texas achieved a better record than thePonies, going undefeated in three matches during the two-daytournament.

The Longhorns challenged host SMU in the opening match on Fridaynight, sweeping the Mustangs, 3-0.

The loss held a sentimental moment for senior Beth Karasek, asshe became the fourth player in SMU history to tally 1,000 killsfor her career.

With kills on the Mustangs’ first, seventh and tenthpoints in the first game, Karasek joined Erin Pryor, Melissa Godwinand Kristen Peterson as the only women in the history of thevolleyball program to accomplish the milestone.

Her efforts were to no avail, however, as Texas took the matchby scores of 30-19, 30-28 and 30-17.

While the Ponies led for most of the second game, a late UTrally helped the Longhorns sweep the match.

On Saturday afternoon, SMU picked up its first win of the seasonat the hands of Northern Arizona University, 3-0.

Junior Jessica Mihm totaled 37 assists while Karasek led the waywith 19 kills and 11 digs, as the Mustangs won by scores of 30-22,30-26 and 30-28, coming back from a late 26-22 deficit in the finalgame.

It was kills from seniors Karasek and Jacky Niederstadt andjuniors Kelly Larkan, Ashley Zener and Mihm in the final eightminutes that did away with the Lumberjacks.

Having evened their season record at 1-1, the Ponies looked toend the tournament on a victorious note against CaliforniaPolytechnic State University on Saturday night.

Behind a strong performance by senior Stephanie Bennett, whotied a career-high with 14 kills in the match, SMU ran away withdecisive scores of 30-26, 30-28 and 30-22.

Other key contributors were Mihm, who built upon her strongshowing against Northern Arizona with 50 assists, and sophomoreJennette Evanco, who chipped in 12 digs and two assists.

Karasek (21 kills, 10 digs) and Larkan (10 kills, 10 digs) eachregistered double-doubles.

At the end of the weekend, the All-Tournament Team wasannounced, a team of six that included two of SMU’s ownKarasek, who led all players with 52 kills, and Niederstadt, whototaled 28 kills and 25 digs.

Mihm, while she was not named to the team, surpassed alltournament participants with 118 assists in the three matches.

This weekend, the Mustangs will travel to the west coast for theFremont Investment & Loan Invitational, where they will battleCornell, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and CalState-Northridge.

The team’s next home contest will come on Sept. 23, whenthey will host the University of Texas-El Paso in the WACopener.