(Courtesy Saint Louis Athletics)
Saint Louis junior setter Meredith Boe collected her 2,000th career assist late in the third set as the Billikens swept George Mason 3-0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-23). She is the eighth Billiken in SLU history to surpass 2,000 assists.
With the win, Saint Louis rises to 14-6 overall and 4-2 in Atlantic 10 matches.
Nenye Okoro led Saint Louis with 11 kills, followed closely by Josie Gandall with 10. Okoro also had 17 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Boe had a match-high 35 assists and Anna Church led the match with 18 digs.
The Billikens opened the match with a 25-9 set one win. As a team, SLU posted a .542 hitting percentage in the first. Middle blockers Lauren Leverenz (four kills, four attempts) and Taylor Paulson (two kills, two attempts) did not miss an attack in the opening set. Gandall was tough at the net defensively, notching three blocks.
In the second set, Gandall led all hitters with six kills to pace SLU to a 25-12 win. Church was a stalwart on the back row, recording eight digs in the set.
In the third set, with the game tied 11-11, Boe set to Okoro who slammed the ball home for Boe’s 2,000th assist. She finished the match with 2,004 career assists, surpassing Beth Middendorf (1999-02) for eighth on SLU’s all-time list. Saint Louis went on to win set three 25-23.
Next up for SLU is a mid-week showdown with Missouri Valley Conference foe Indiana State. First serve against the Sycamores is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 14.
