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College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Cal Poly Falls in Five Sets versus Pacific

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17:  Cal Poly Falls in Five Sets versus Pacific 

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Freshman outside hitter Megan McConnell led a trio of Mustangs in double-digit kill figures with 16 Saturday evening, but the Cal Poly volleyball team suffered a 23-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-11 loss against Pacific in Mott Gym – the program’s third-straight, five-set defeat and second in as many nights after leading.

Junior middle blocker Dominique Olowolafe added a season-best 15 kills and hit .409 while freshman opposite Holly Franks added 13 kills for Cal Poly (6-15, 2-6), which fell to 2-4 in five-set matches this year and 0-3 when leading during a five-set match. Freshman setter Anuhea Keanini totaled a career-best 56 assists for the Mustangs, who were outhit by the Tigers, .333-.200, and outblocked, 23-10.

Despite being limited to a .242 hitting mark during set No. 1, the Mustangs snatched nine of the initial 11 points and led the opening game wire-to-wire. Cal Poly solidified its lead by battering Pacific (15-4, 5-3) with a .448 hitting percentage during the second set and claiming the last of three lead changes at 24-23 following a McConnell kill.

Cal Poly, however, committed 11 hitting miscues during a third set in which the Mustangs led just once and never by more than two points. Pacific forced the deciding set by hitting .440 during game No. 4.

In the fifth set, kills by freshman Jennifer Keddy and sophomore Catie Smith allowed the Mustangs to build an early 4-2 advantage. Pacific, however, failed to commit a hitting error down the stretch and utilized an 8-2 run to post its first victory in Mott Gym since Oct. 2, 2004.

Cal Poly resumes play at UC Riverside on Friday, Oct. 23. Match time inside the Student Recreation Center, as well as for Cal Poly’s Oct. 24 match at No. 21 UC Irvine, is scheduled for 7 p.m.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Huskies Battle Back To Take Out Trojans, 3-2

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17:  Huskies Battle Back To Take Out Trojans, 3-2

Miyashiro’s season-high 30 digs help Huskies stifle USC in the final two sets.

SEATTLE – Trailing 2-1, the No. 4 Washington volleyball team dug in its heels and rallied back for a thrilling 3-2 victory over the 16th-ranked Trojans, sending 2,686 fans home happy from Bank of America Arena tonight. It was the first time this year that the Huskies (17-1, 7-1 Pac-10) have trailed after a non-deciding set, but they were able to get their first comeback win of the year, 25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-10. The Trojans fall to 13-6 overall and 2-5 in the Pac-10.

 

Washington’s middle blockers did a number on the Trojans tonight, as sophomores Bianca Rowland and Lauren Barfield had a number of clutch kills. Rowland was error-free on 24 swings, racking up 15 kills for a .625 hitting percentage. Barfield also had a career-high eight kills and four blocks. Junior Kindra Carlson (18 kills, 15 digs), senior Airial Salvo (13 kills, 10 digs), senior Jill Collymore (16 kills, 17 digs), and junior Jenna Hagglund (57 assists, 12 digs) all registered double-doubles for UW. Alex Jupiter had a match-high 25 kills to lead USC.

 

After falling behind 2-1, UW’s defense locked down, holding the Trojans to .071 and .077 hitting in the fourth and fifth sets, respectively. Senior Tamari Miyashiro, the two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, posted a season-high 30 digs to keep UW in point after point.

 

“I think this match will end up serving us well down the road. I thought we played well with our backs against the wall, but we sure hit a lull in games two and three,” said head coach Jim McLaughlin. “We played well when we had to, we just have to do that from start to finish, and we haven’t done that. (Miyashiro), she dug some rockets. She passed, and she kept talking to our team and kept us in it even when it was tough. And it hasn’t always been tough on us, so we need some matches like this to play under those types of situations.”

 

For the 18th time in 18 matches this year, the Huskies jumped on top after the first set. Collymore had three of the first five kills for the Dawgs, as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead and USC had to take its first timeout. Her fourth kill screamed to the floor, and then she took over serving duties and hit an ace followed by another liner that USC misplayed without a return which made it 8-2. Carlson earned consecutive kills to stretch the lead to 11-4. Bianca Rowland banged down her first point to make it 16-9 Dawgs.  USC made a run to cut it to 17-14, but Lauren Barfield fired one down to stop the bleeding. Still the Trojans got to 18-16, but Alex Jupiter hit long and Airial Salvo sent in an ace and the Trojans took another timeout. Coming out of the break, Barfield and Collymore banged down UW’s first block of the night for a five-point lead. On set point, Salvo found a gap in the block and her first kill gave the Dawgs the 25-21 set win. Washington hit .333 for the set, led by Carlson and Collymore who combined for 11 kills without an error on 26 attempts.

 

A Rowland serve got passed over the net by the Trojans and Barfield pounced on it to tie the set at 5-5. But the Trojans recorded the next three points and UW needed time to think things over. The run reached five points before Barfield stopped the run with her fourth kill. Washington began to battle back, and a save by Collymore off a missed connection was followed by a great Miyashiro dig, and USC sent its next shot long and then called time with its lead having shrunk to 12-11. A seeing-eye Collymore shot on the next point tied it, and Carlson grabbed the lead for the Dawgs with a big finish on the next point. USC needed another time after Carlson painted the back line for an ace to make it 15-13 UW. USC retook the lead out of the break with three-straight, before Rowland hammered one into the corner to tie it at 16. The set continued to see-saw, but USC opened a 22-19 lead after errors from Carlson and Salvo with a USC block from Jupiter. Junior Becky Perry checked in and saved a set point with her first kill, then Rowland and Collymore combined for a block to pull it to 24-22. Jupiter’s fired home a kill on the next point however to win it for the Trojans, 25-22.

 

USC got out to an early three-point lead in the third set. Kelly Holford checked in with USC up 8-6, and had a pair of excellent serves that brought the Huskies back even. USC took a 12-10 lead and Washington took time. Collymore earned a much-needed kill to pull UW to 14-12. A long rally followed and Rowland got a roar with her seventh finish to cut the deficit to one, but USC bounced back with two-straight. The Huskies got within one on several occasions, until a Salvo ace finally brought the two teams together at 20. The teams traded sideouts until 23-all, when a Collymore serve landed just long. Rowland tied it at 24 with her 10th kill, but the Trojans got the final two points to claim the set, 26-24.

 

Washington came out aggressive in the fourth set, picking up the first four points with stellar defense and a block by Rowland and Collymore that prompted an early USC timeout. Washington continued to take it to the Trojans, and another disruptive Holford serve followed by a Salvo put-away made it 9-2 Dawgs. USC cut the gap down to three points at 12-9 at which point Washington took time. Collymore gave the serve back to the Dawgs with a kill down the line. Rowland and Collymore teamed up to reject a Jupiter attempt and get UW back up 15-10. A textbook Carlson dig on the next point then led to another Collymore kill. But the Trojans would not go away, and crept to within 18-16, forcing the Dawgs to call their last timeout. Salvo created some breathing room with a kill off the block on the next point, then replicated the feat off a bump set by Collymore and USC needed time of its own. Carlson swooped in for a kill off the block to bring about set point, and a blast from Collymore was blocked with for the 25-20 win for the home team. UW’s defense told the story in the fourth, as USC was held to .071 hitting and committed 10 errors.

 

The Huskies misfired on a couple attacks to let USC out to a 3-1 lead, but Trojan miscues followed by a Salvo put-away gave the Dawgs the 4-3 lead. A tough Salvo serve was passed too near the net and the attack was blocked by Collymore, with USC taking time down 6-4. USC got back to 7-all, but Rowland answered with her 14th kill and the teams traded sides with UW up 8-7. A Salvo back-row attack opened a slim 9-7 edge. UW was on the defensive much of the next point, but eventually Collymore got a good lead from Hagglund and powered it off the block for the kill and USC took its last stoppage. Jupiter bailed out USC after the Dawgs had several great chances at 11-8, but Rowland responded with a rocket that made it 12-9. Salvo banged one down to bring up match point at 14-10 as the crowd rose to its feet. USC’s Gysin attacked the next ball but was greeted by Barfield and Carlson, who blocked it back off the Trojan to end the night with a 15-10 win for Washington. The Huskies were superior in every category in the fifth, hitting .375 to .077, digging 17 balls to USC’s 10, and earning two blocks to zero for the visitors. Salvo, who had struggled in the early going, was terrific in the final frame with five of UW’s 11 kills.

 

The last time UW was down 2-1 in a victory was against these same Trojans, last year in Los Angeles. Washington will now wrap up the first half of Pac-10 play in Pullman, against a talented Washington State team. That match is set for Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

 

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Southern Illinois Volleyball drops match to Creighton, 3-1

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17:  Southern Illinois Volleyball drops match to Creighton, 3-1 

Alicia Johnson led the Salukis with 17 kills and 19 digs, hitting .350 in the match.

Oct. 17, 2009

Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois volleyball team lost its fourth-straight Missouri Valley Conference match to Creighton in four sets, 24-26, 25-19, 20-25, 21-25, Saturday night in Davies Gym.

The Salukis (13-6, 3-6 MVC), were looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss on Friday against Drake, but couldn't overcome a .211 offensive clip and 15.0 team blocks by the Bluejays (7-12, 4-5 MVC).

"This was a very important match, especially at home," Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler. "Now at the mid-point of the conference season, we have to turn it around in the second half and get back some matches we lost at home."

Southern led the entire first set, up 20-17, until Creighton scored three straight points on a kill and two blocks to make things even. The Salukis came within match point, 24-22, but couldn't overcome four-straight kills from the Bluejays to take the match advantage, 1-0.

The Salukis pulled themselves even in the second set leading by as many as six points three times, including the final point, 25-19. After the second set, Alicia Johnson had already posted her fifth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 12 digs. The junior right side finished with a match-high 17 kills, 19 digs and two block assists, hitting .350 with just three errors in 40 attacks.

The third set saw CU jump out in the lead for the first time, opening with a 8-3 lead. The Salukis kept it close, pulling within one, 19-20, before the Bluejays went on a 5-to-1 run to win the set and take the lead 2-1.

In what turned out to be the final set, the pressure was on the Southern to push the match into a fifth set, but they couldn't overcome a match-high .279 hitting percentage from the Bluejays who recorded just three errors and 15 kills for the 3-1 victory.

Defensively, the Salukis won the battle of the digs, posting 74 to the Bluejays, 60, but couldn't overcome two solo and 26 block assists from the visiting team. 

Libero Lauren Blumhorst led the Saluki defense with a match-high 24 digs, while Jennifer Berwanger added 11. Berwanger also added nine kills.

Freshman middle blocker Alysia Mayes joined Johnson in double-digit kills recording 10 to go with a match-high two solo blocks and a block assist.

"Alicia, Lauren and Alysia played very well tonight," Winkeler added. "We're just struggling right now on the outside. We didn't have a person come through and that really hurt us. Creighton is a really good blocking team, top in the conference, but still we just we were looking for another person to turn it on offensively."

Jessica Houts led the Bluejays with 15 kills, while Allie Oelke pitched in 14 kills and 15 digs. Laurel Stanford came up big at the net for CU with a match-high 11 block assists.

The Salukis travel to Southeast Missouri State Tuesday, Oct. 20, in their final non-conference and lone mid-week match of the season. SIU started the season 10-0 in non-conference play and look to build on the season start before beginning the second-half of MVC play, hosting Bradley and UNI Oct. 23-24.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Quinnipiac Volleyball Falls At Bryant, 3-0

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Quinnipiac Volleyball Falls At Bryant, 3-0 

October 17, 2009

 

Kelby Carey Compiles Eighth Double-Double

 

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Kelby Carey (Surfside, Calif.) compiled her eighth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 10 digs to go along with four service aces, but the Quinnipiac University volleyball team was defeated by Bryant, 3-0, Saturday night at the Chace Center. With the loss, the Bobcats fall to 3-19 (2-7 NEC), while the Bulldogs improve to 7-16 (2-3 NEC).

 

Kayla Lawler (Richmond, Ind.) contributed 27 assists, while Logan Riker (Bowling Green, Ohio) added 15 digs. After consecutive 25-18 decisions in the first two sets, the Bulldogs outlasted the Bobcats in the third set, 26-24, to take the three-set victory.

 

The Bobcats get a chance to atone for the defeat Sunday, when they again face Bryant at the Chace Center. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Smithfield, R.I.

 

Box Score

Season Stats

Quinnipiac Volleyball Homepage

Northeast Conference Volleyball Homepage

 

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Georgia Tech Tops Cavaliers in Four Sets

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Georgia Tech Volleyball Team Tops Cavaliers in Four Sets 

Asque matches a season-high 18 kills

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team dropped a hard fought match to Georgia Tech Saturday evening, 1-3 (17-25, 25-20, 15-25, 21-25), in Memorial Gymnasium.

Sophomore Simone Asque led the attack, matching a season-high 18 kills, while sophomore Tess Udall chipped in a career-high eight kills. Freshman Rachel Gray dished out 38 helpers and junior AJ Cushman tallied 12 digs. Freshman Jessica O’Shoney knocked down six blocks, while junior Sydney Hill had four.

For Georgia Tech (13-6, 7-2 ACC), Chrissy DeMichelis had 20 kills and Jordan McCullers paced the defense with 14 digs. Mary Ashley Tippens collected a double-double of 49 assists and 12 digs.

Virginia took a 3-1 advantage early in the first set, but Georgia Tech responded with a 4-0 run to take a lead that they held for the rest of the frame. The Yellow Jackets tallied three 3-0 runs in the set, allowing them to capture the victory, 25-17.

The Cavaliers started strong in the second set, taking the first three points of the frame, but the Yellow Jackets’ attack strung together a series of scores, taking the lead 12-10. Virginia countered with a 5-0 run, seizing a 15-12 advantage and went on to win the set, 25-20.

The two squads alternated points early in the third stanza before the Yellow Jackets took command of the frame with a 5-0 run. Georgia Tech held the lead for the remainder of the set, topping the Cavaliers, 25-15.

The Yellow Jackets led for much of the fourth frame. The Cavaliers strung together three points late in the set to pull within one, but it was not enough as Georgia Tech claimed the frame and the match, 25-21.

Virginia (7-13, 2-7 ACC) will return to action next weekend, heading north to face Maryland on Friday and Boston College on Saturday. Both matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Strong Effort Not Enough To Lift Women’s Volleyball Past Ohio

  College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Strong Effort Not Enough To Lift Women’s Volleyball Past Ohio

ATHENS, Ohio - - Despite a strong all-around effort, the Ball State women’s volleyball team suffered a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) setback to Mid-American Conference East Division leader Ohio Saturday night at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.
  With the loss, the Cardinals drop to 10-11 (3-5 MAC). Ohio improves to 16-4 (8-0 MAC) with the victory.
  “We played well enough to win the match, out-stating them in every category,” said Ball State head coach Dave Boos. “However, Ohio is a very experienced team and they were able to make a few more plays throughout the match. Overall, I am very proud of our effort against a strong Ohio team tonight.”
  Behind a team-high 12 kills from senior Alisha Green (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest H.S.) and solid play from setter Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.), the Cardinals were able to out-hit the Bobcats .257 (38-10-109) to .248 (49-16-113) in the contest.
  Kaylee Schembra (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli H.S.) paced all players with 19 digs in the match, while McGinnis collected eight.
  Ball State also held a 51 to 47 advantage in digs, while out blocking one of the nation’s top blocking teams seven to three.
  Ohio’s Ellen Herman led all players with 15 kills, while Meghan Simons posted 12. Meryl Bender was Ohio’s top defender with 10 digs.
  The opening set saw the teams battle to a 10-10 deadlock before an Ohio service error gave the Cardinals their first lead of the set at 11-10. BSU maintained the one-point edge at 12-11, before a kill from Simons sparked a 5-1 Bobcats run and forced the Cardinals to call timeout trailing 16-13.
  Ohio tacked on the first two points after the break to extend the lead to five at 18-13. However, BSU’s Green blasted kills on four of the next five rallies to cut the OU lead to two at 19-17. Kills from Charde’ Phillips (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria H.S.) and Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.) helped the Cardinals pull within one at 20-19 and led to an Ohio timeout.
  Unfortunately, two more Simons kills helped give the Bobcats set point at 24-20. A marker from Boyd and a BSU block extended the frame a little longer, but Simons blasted the frame-winning kill at 25-22.
  Set two saw the teams play to a 4-4 tie before another Simons kill and a Herman service ace helped Ohio rally off four-straight points to pull ahead 8-4. The lead remained four at 10-6, before a Green kill and a McGinnis ace sparked a 10-point Ball State run, giving the visitors a 16-10 edge. Phillips added two kills and a block assist in the run.
  A kill from Herman stopped the run, and she would add two more over the next three plays as Ball State called timeout to stop the Ohio’s momentum with a 16-14 lead. The ploy would not work, as the Bobcats tied the set at 16 with the next two points. With the score knotted at 18, Ohio posted the next three points to pull ahead 21-18.
  A service error and an kill from Julie Breivogel (Boonville, Ind./Boonville H.S.) pulled the Cardinals back within one at 21-20. Two Bobcats kills later the lead was back to three at 23-20. Ball State was able to battle back within one on two more occasions, but a Sue Jacobi kill ended the game at 25-23 in favor of the hosts.
  The third set opened with the teams playing to a 6-6 tie before a Simons solo block sparked a 6-0 Ohio run, giving the hosts a 12-6 advantage. A solo block at 14-11 and a kill at 15-12 from Breivogel would get the Cardinals within three, but Ohio responded with the next two points to push the score to 17-12.
  Trailing 18-13, the Cardinals cut the gap to two at 18-16 thanks in part to kills from Green and Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North H.S.). Moments later, an attack error from the Bobcats helped BSU pull within one at 20-19. The hosts respond with four of the next five points to reach match-point at 24-21.
  Kills from Breivogel and Brandl kept the Cardinals alive and forced the Bobcats to call timeout at 24-23. The hosts went on to close the match on the next play, however, thanks to a kill from Faith Robins.
  The Ball State women’s volleyball team returns to Worthen Arena Friday, when it hosts Bowling Green in a 7 p.m. match that will be webcasted live by Ball State Sports Link. Saturday, the Cardinals will host Miami at 7 p.m. in a match televised by the Ball State Sports Network.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Steady Play Sends Panthers Past Ramblers

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Steady Play Sends Panthers Past Ramblers 

UWM wins second-straight in front of large crowd

MILWAUKEE - Jena Berg had 15 kills to lead three players in double figures
as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a 26-24, 26-28, 25-17,
25-20 win over Loyola Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

Kerri Schuh added 13 kills and Natalie Schmitting pitched-in with 10 for
Milwaukee (7-14, 4-6 Horizon), which won for the second-straight time.

The Panthers again rode a stellar defensive effort to victory. UWM tallied
104 digs, as Lauren Felsing led the way with 33. Milwaukee wound up limiting
Loyola to a .122 hitting clip.

Plus, UWM steadily improved on the offensive end throughout the match. After
committing 21 hitting errors over the first two sets, the Panthers had just
10 over the final two frames.

Colleen Francis had 12 kills and Dana VanDiggelen 11 for the Ramblers
(10-13, 3-7).

The annual "Pink Out" match to promote breast cancer awareness and research
drew 1,037 fans, the second-largest volleyball crowd in school history.

"That third and fourth set was very steady and that's the Panther volleyball
we know," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "I can see it in their eyes -
they are feeling it and we're climbing. We're just playing our game with the
quicker offense, the defense, the block was solid, so it was a really,
really good match."

The teams split the first two sets, with each frame extending past 25
points.

In the first set, UWM had to fight off a set-point at 24-23, but did so when
Loyola committed a hitting error. Then, a solo block by Sueppel and a kill
from Mary Beth O'Brien put the Panthers ahead in the match.

In set two, UWM fought back from a 24-19 deficit to claim a set-point chance
at 25-24. But, a kill by Natalie Pounovich kept Loyola alive and eventually
a UWM error and an ace from Francis evened up the match.

The Panthers were in control throughout the third set. Milwaukee jumped out
to a 9-5 lead and then went up 18-9 after two kills from Berg and one from
Schuh. Loyola did pull back to within four points at 20-16 but would get no
closer. Kills by Sueppel and Kellye Zaporski pushed the lead back to 22-16
and then kills from O'Brien and Berg along with a Loyola error put Milwaukee
back ahead in the match.

UWM then put the match away with a solid performance in the fourth set. The
Panthers bolted to a 13-8 advantage after a kill by Sueppel and extended the
edge to 21-13 on a kill by Zaporski. Loyola did crawl back to within four
points at 23-19, but kills by Schmitting and Berg finished things off.

UWM has just one match next week, with the Panthers hosting in-state rival
Green Bay Friday at 7 p.m.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Duke Sweeps NC State 3-0

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Duke Sweeps NC State 3-0

October 17, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. - Becci Burling connected on 13 kills and hit .400 to lead Duke to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-10, 25-18) sweep over NC State Saturday evening in Reynolds Coliseum.

Burling, a junior middle blocker, finished 13-for-25 with just three attack errors to give the Blue Devils (17-4, 7-2 ACC) to their 17th consecutive victory over NC State. She also helped out on four of Duke's nine blocks and chipped in four digs as part of a defensive effort that saw NC State hit just .010 on the night.

NC State (7-16, 0-8 ACC) also had trouble stopping freshman Christiana Gray, who finished with eight kills, a .462 hitting percentage and four blocks. Gray, who leads Duke's starters with a .359 hitting percentage, has now hit .300 or better in 13 of Duke's 21 matches.

By holding the Wolfpack to just 10 points in the second set, Duke set a school record for the fewest points allowed in a game since the NCAA adopted a 25-point-per-set limit in 2008. The last time Duke held an opponent to 10 points or less in a game was in 2004 when the Blue Devils did it three times in the same season.

Duke used 12 players in the victory, five of which recorded service aces. Freshman Phoebe Maglathlin got two of those, while Kayla Kirk, Claire Smalzer, Kellie Catanach and Rachael Moss also contributed one each. Smalzer, who entered the match ranked second in the ACC in service aces per game, now has a team-leading 27 which is already a career high for the junior libero.

Margaret Salata was NC State's only attacker to hit over .200, finishing 5-for-13 with a .308 clip. Duke forced NC State into 22 attack errors and the lowest hitting percentage against a Duke team since Sept. 13, 2008, when S.C. State hit -.023 against the Blue Devils.

Duke stayed in control of the first set, building a seven-point lead before finishing off the Wolfpack 25-22 to take game one. NC State had no answer to Burling, who finished 6-for-9 attacking without an error. Duke hit .303 in the opener with 14 assists from Catanach, four kills from Robertson and service aces from Smalzer and Kirk. NC State, meanwhile, hit just .212 but still managed to fight back from a 21-14 deficit to come within two points of tying the match. Duke, however, still led 24-22 and finished off the game on a kill from Sophia Dunworth.

The momentum stayed in Duke's favor at the start of the second frame, as the Blue Devils jumped out to a 15-5 lead on the way to a 25-10 victory. Burling led the effort once again with five kills on eight attacks - again without an error - while Gray chipped in two kills and a pair of blocks. Catanach dished out seven more assists before senior Christina Falcone entered the game and tossed up three assists and a block. Duke had a chance to hold the Wolfpack to single digits, but NC State pulled out two straight points after trailing 24-8.

After handling NC State in the first two games, the Blue Devils quickly put the final set away with a match-clinching 25-18 victory. Duke once again reached 19 points before the Wolfpack reached double digits, but then gave way to a 9-5 run that narrowed the deficit to 24-18. The Blue Devils ended NC State's shot at a comeback, however, when freshman Megan Hendrickson connected on her second kill of the evening to lock up the win. Senior Brittany Staffeil had her number called often in the final set, finishing 3-for-7 in the game with a pair of digs.

Up next for Duke is another weekend road trip, this time to Clemson and Georgia Tech on Oct. 23-24. The Yellow Jackets are tied for second place in the ACC standings alongside the Blue Devils, while Clemson is also in position to challenge for the top spot with a 5-3 ACC record.

-d-u-k-e-

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Lions Swept at Pepperdine, Drop PCH Challenge Point

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Lions Swept at Pepperdine, Drop PCH Challenge Point 

LMU was swept for the second consecutive match.

LMU (9-10, 0-5) dropped its seventh consecutive match on Saturday night, swept by cross-town rival Peppperdine (11-7, 4-1), 25-13, 25-14, 25-18, in West Coast Conference play.  With the victory, Pepperdine earned a point in the PCH Challenge standings to go ahead 2.5-1.5 overall.

Sophomore middle blocker Kim Hill had a match-high 10 kills to help the Waves to the lopsided victory.  Pepperdine has now won four straight conference matches and has climbed back into a tie for first place in the WCC.  Hill also hit .471 (10-2/17.  Senior setter Kiah Fiers had five kills on seven swings (.714) to go with her 29 assists. Sophomore libero Stevi Robinson provided match highs of 16 digs and four service aces.

The Lions, who were outhit by Pepperdine, .280 to .113, also saw Pepperdine post eight service aces to none for LMU.  Freshman Alaina Bergsma once again led the Lion attack with seven kills, four of which came in the second set.  Sophomore Alesha Young passed-out 18 assists as the Lion setter.

Pepperdine never trailed in the first set. Tied 2-2, the Waves took the lead for good after two straight kills by Hill and one by Caitlin Racich. Robinson later had two consecutive service aces to make it 9-4. A 6-0 run was aided by Rachel Grochmal's two kills, making it 15-6. The Waves took their first double-digit lead at 18-8 en route to the easy win. Hill had five kills on five swings to lead Pepperdine, which had a .258 to .065 edge in hitting.

LMU took its first lead of the match at 1-0 in the second set, but Adelhelm had a kill, block assist and service ace as Pepperdine scored five straight points and nine of the next 10. After falling behind 9-2, the Lions eventually closed within four points at 15-11, highlighted by three Bergsma kills, forcing a Wave timeout.  The break served its purpose as Hill and Racich combined on a block and both had kills as part of a 6-0 run that made the score 23-12. The Waves had a .226 to .031 hitting edge in the second set.

After the Lions took a couple of one-point leads early in the third set, a service ace by Grochmal and a kill by Hill made the score 5-3 and LMU never evened it up again. The lead grew to 13-6 after consecutive kills by Fiers, Frederick and Grochmal. LMU got no closer than four points the rest of the way. Both teams had their best hitting performance in the third set, with the Waves holding a .355 to .235 advantage.

The Lions return home next weekend as they host Santa Clara and San Francisco to conclude the first half of WCC play.  The Lions will meet the Broncos at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: BISON VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS SECOND STRAIGHT LEAGUE OPPONENT IN 3-0 WIN OVER LEHIGH

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: BISON VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS SECOND STRAIGHT LEAGUE OPPONENT IN 3-0 WIN OVER LEHIGH 

Kamp, Segal Hit Double-digit Kills

 

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell volleyball won its second straight Patriot League contest, sweeping Lehigh 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-21) in Davis Gym Saturday night. The Bison (8-11, 4-3) improved their league record to better than .500 for the first time this season behind a match-high 14 kills from Heidi Kamp (Eugene, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) and strong defensive efforts from Rachel Rodriguez (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake).

 

Much like they did a night ago, the Bison came out of their corner ready to fight. Bucknell sprinted out to a 10-5 lead in the first handful of points with the help of several kills from Segal and Kamp. Rodriguez also threw in one of her three service aces in the beginning of play.

 

Lehigh (10-12, 3-4) eventually regrouped and went on an 8-2 run toward the end of the opening set. That streak, which was capped off by an ace by Jessica Kudirka, put the Mountain Hawks within a pair of points at 20-18. The Bison hung tough, however, and help on for the 25-21 win.

 

Set two also started with Bucknell running out to a comfortable lead. Jackie Landes (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Wildwood School) opened the set with back-to-back kills and Allison Gittings (Dayton, Md./Glenelg) served an ace for the 4-1 advantage.

 

That point spread continued to expand to 12-5 following a block assist by Ragin Jackson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) and Gittings, but the set felt closer than the score indicated. Lehigh maintained an aggressive style of play throughout. Bucknell’s front line was just as aggressive, however, as Kamp earned kills on three of four points for 22-12 and Jackson closed out the set with back-to-back kills of her own. When all was said and done, the Bison’s 25-18 set victory gave them a two-set lead.

 

Lehigh came out in the third set ready for redemption. This time it was the Mountain Hawks that ran out to the early lead as a kill by Emma Melendez set the score at 7-2. Bucknell appeared a bit shaken initially but continued to work. The Bison came within two points of tying the set on five occasions. It was not until a Lehigh service error for 16-11 gave Bucknell the opening it needed. The Bison took control and their first lead of the set with an 11-3 run for 22-19. With the finish line so close, Bucknell wrapped it up nicely with another set score of 25-21.

 

The match win gave the Orange and Blue their first back-to-back victories since defeating St. Peter’s and St. Francis (N.Y.) in the first two contests of the season. Bucknell also defeated Lafayette, 3-0, last night. Head coach Cindy Opalski was very happy with her team’s play throughout the weekend.

 

“This was an incredibly important weekend for us in terms of league play and I think the pressure of establishing ourselves as one of the top four teams in the league was on our shoulders tonight,” said Opalski. “I’m extremely pleased with the way we stepped up and persevered in a must-win situation. We had great play all weekend, great defensive production from Kaitlin Segal and Rachel Rodriguez, and clutch serving from Heidi Kamp and Rodriguez.”

 

Rodriguez led all players with three service aces on the night. She was joined as the match’s best by Kamp with 14 kills and Segal with 15 digs. Segal also chipped in 10 kills. Gittings helped out on many of those attacks, registering 35 assists.

 

Mo McReynolds led Lehigh with 12 kills, while Melendez finished with 11 digs. Brittany Dickinson contributed 25 assists for the Mountain Hawks.

 

Bucknell will go for three in a row when it travels to Worcester, Mass., to take on Holy Cross at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23. The team will continue that weekend with Army at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 in West Point, N.Y.

 

BucknellBison.com

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: San Francisco Defeats Pilots 3-1 in Back and Forth Contest

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: San Francisco Defeats Pilots 3-1 in Back and Forth Contest  

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – In a tight match, the Portland Pilots volleyball team fell 3-1 to conference opponent San Francisco on Saturday at the War Memorial Gym. The Dons won by scores of 25-21, 25-23, 25-27 and 25-21.

 

Sisters Jessica and Maria Clemens paced the Pilots with 14 and 11 kills respectively. Jessica also added eight digs and three blocks, while Maria also had five digs and one block.

 

Both senior Shelley Sievers and freshman Ariel Usher recorded seven kills and six blocks apiece. USF’s Erin Bragg also recorded six blocks to share the match-high with Sievers and Usher. UP senior Kaylyn Jones added a team-high 36 assists to the stat sheet and also added five digs and two blocks.

 

Sophomore Danielle Dupar continued to be strong on defense as her 20 digs were tops for the team on the day.

 

Portland (5-15, 1-4 WCC) had 11 players see the court against USF (9-9, 3-2).

 

In what seemed like a hitting duel in the first set, Portland’s Jessica Clemens and USF’s Erin Bragg knocked down five kills each. With 12 tie scores and five lead changes, USF won the race to 25 by out-hitting UP .308 to .244 and out-blocking the Pilots 5-1.

 

In the second set, Portland both out-blocked (4-2) and had better hitting efficiency (.229 to .214) than San Francisco but the Dons would claim the set win behind the strength of SarahMandala’s 10 kills (recording half of the team’s 20 kills in the set) to pace the Dons to a 25-23 set win. Portland’s Marissa Plummer contributed to three of UP’s four blocks in the set including two solo stuffs.

 

The third set was another back-and-forth affair with 12 ties and four lead changes. But it was Portland who owned the lead from the first serve until USF would tie it up at 13-13. The team exchanged points until 25-25 when Portland would go on a 2-0 run capped by a Maria Clemens kill to claim the 27-25 set victory.

 

It was more of the same in the fourth set with the last of 14 total ties settling at 20-20. The Dons, looking eager to finish the match, launched a 5-1 run to catapult them to the match win.

 

Mandala led the Dons with 16 kills while Haley Caroll posted 25 digs, both good enough for match-highs.

 

The Pilots will return home to the Chiles Center next weekend to play WCC opponents Saint Mary’s and San Diego. The UP-SMC match is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m. and UP-USD is on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1:00 p.m.

 

For all of the latest information on Portland Pilots volleyball, please visitwww.portlandpilots.com. Follow the Pilots on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PortlandPilots and Assistant Coach Sara Reilly on Twitter at www.twitter.com/UPVolleyball.

 

 

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Hearst’s Career Day Propels Yale Past Columbia, 3-1

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Hearst’s Career Day Propels Yale Past Columbia, 3-1

Sophomore Smashes 27 Kills in Victory

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Sophomore Bridget Hearst had a career-high 27 kills, the most in a single match tallied by an current Bulldogs, and seniors Cat Dailey and Alexis Crusey both recorded double-doubles as the Yale volleyball team won its 10th straight Ivy  League road match with a four-set victory at Columbia on Saturday afternoon. Crusey’s 13 kills move her into fifth place all-time at Yale with 1,174 in her career.

 

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in the Ivy League. Columbia falls to 11-8 overall and 2-4 in the Ivy League with the loss.

 

“Road matches are so important in the Ivy League, these were big wins for us.” said Yale Head Coach Erin Appleman.

 

Hearst’s 27 kills came on 35 swings with four errors for a .657 hitting percentage. Her previous career mark, which she has reached three times in her career, was 11 kills.

 

“It was great to see Bridget have a breakout match,” said Appleman, , who is a perfect 13-0 against Columbia in her Yale career. “She was a solid leader in an all-around team effort”.

 

Dailey, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, had 18 kills and 15 digs to tally her seventh double-double of the season. Crusey’s double-double was comprised of 13 kills and 20 digs. Freshman Kerry Clavadetscher ran the offense and dished out a career-high 56 assists.  Junior Kelly Ozurovich had 21 digs out of the libero slot, sharing the match high with Columbia libero Ellie Thomas.

 

The Lions started the match on the offensive, taking five of the first six points, but the Bulldogs soon rallied to tie the score, 8-8. In total, Yale went on a 5-0 run to claim its first lead of the contest at 10-8. The action remained tight to a 16-16 deadlock before Columbia rattled off three straight points to claim a 19-16 advantage and force a Yale timeout. The Lions were undeterred by the stoppage, however, as they soon led by four points at 22-18, at which point Coach Appleman took her second timeout of the frame. The Bulldogs would come to within two points at 22-20, but Columbia was soon at set point leading 24-20. The Lions cashed in on the set-point chance with an ace by Sarah Thompson to take set one, 25-20.

 

Columbia took the first two points of the second set, before a series of tough serves by Dailey stifled the Lions’ attack and propelled Yale on 5-0 run to take a 5-2 lead. After a Columbia timeout, the Bulldogs kept the pressure on the home team as they extended their lead to as many as seven points at 17-10. The Lions came to life at that point, winning six of the next seven rallies to cut the margin to two points at 18-16 and force a Bulldogs’ timeout. The two-point cushion held to 20-18, at which point Dailey slammed home two straight kills to give the Bulldogs a four-point lead, 22-18, and force Columbia to burn its second timeout of the set. Yale kept the streak alive after the stoppage as they ran off three consecutive points, punctuated by a Hearst kill, to win set two, 25-18, and tie the match at 1-1 entering the intermission.

 

The pivotal third set went to a quick 6-6 deadlock, and the squads continued to trade points to a 10-10 tie. At that point, another kill by Hearst and a Clavadetscher ace gave the Bulldogs a 12-10 advantage and forced a Columbia timeout. Hearst continued to dominant with three more kills in the next stretch of action, as the Lions were soon taking another timeout, now trailing by five points at 16-11. Columbia controlled the tempo out of the timeout, and took advantage of three Yale errors to come to within a point at 18-17 and force Appleman to take her first timeout of the set. The two teams traded points to a 22-21 Yale lead, at which point two straight Bulldogs’ points brought the score to set point at 24-22. On the ensuing point, Hearst drove home her ninth kill of the set and 22nd of the match to give Yale a 25-22 win and a 2-1 edge in the match.

 

With their backs against the wall down 2-1, the Lions ran out to a 4-1 lead in the early stages of set four. The Bulldogs then began to control the net and stormed out to a 10-7 lead to force Columbia to burn a timeout. Yale maintained its momentum out of the stoppage and soon led by five points at 17-12 to force another Lions’ timeout.  The Bulldogs would continue to roll in the frame, however, as they finished off the Lions with a 25-18, set-four win.

 

The Bulldogs return home next weekend, as they continue the Ivy League slate with matches against Dartmouth and Harvard. Both matches will feature live stats and will be streamed live via Yale All-Access.

 

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College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Mastodons Fall to Conference-Leading Bison in Three Sets

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Mastodons Fall to Conference-Leading Bison in Three Sets 

Schlindwein’s 12 kills leads IPFW

 

Fargo, ND – The IPFW Mastodons were swept by the Summit League-leading Bison of North Dakota State on Saturday evening in front of 1,147 fans in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse, 25-19, 25-11, 25-21.

 

The loss drops IPFW (12-9, 6-5 Summit League) into fourth place in the Summit League, behind North Dakota State (15-3, 11-0 Summit League); and Oakland and IUPUI, who are both one match ahead of the ‘Dons at 7-4 in league play. Oral Roberts, who was idle this week, trails IPFW by one match at 5-4.

 

Maya Schlindwein led IPFW with a dozen kills, as Rebekah Roehm tallied eight, to snap her double-figure kill streak at 15, the fourth longest during IPFW’s rally-scoring era. Alli Hook and Shannon Reuter each had two blocks on the afternoon. Jamie Schwartz had 14 digs, running her consecutive double-digit dig streak to 15, while Roehm added 10, and Tessa McGill nine. Reuter dished out a team-best 16 assists, with Megan Steenhuysen adding 10 in the losing effort.

 

The first set opened with each team taking off on a run, starting when North Dakota State jumped out to a 3-0 lead to open the match. With the Mastodons trailing 5-2, IPFW ran off six straight points, which included a trio of Schlindwein kills, and kills from Roehm and Stephanie Lamberti, giving IPFW the 8-5 advantage.

 

The host Bison fought back, eventually tying the set at 9, 10, 11, and 12, until the hosts ran off three straight to push ahead 15-12. IPFW would only get as close as two the rest of the way, as the hosts used two more 3-0 runs to cruise to the 25-19 opening-set win.

 

The second set started as a repeat of the first, with the teams trading sideouts and tied at five apiece, before NDSU scored six straight points to lead 11-5. The Bison also rattled off runs of 5-0, 4-0, and 3-0 to lead 23-8, while not allowing the Mastodons to score on their serve until the hosts recorded their 24^th point of the set, as North Dakota State took the second set 25-11.

 

North Dakota State, which has now won 30 straight Summit League volleyball matches, the second longest streak on league history, jumped ahead 3-0 in the third and final set; however, IPFW countered with a 4-0 run which consisted of a Bison attack error, and kills from Roehm, Schlindwein and Taryn Parker, pushing IPFW ahead 5-4, in what would end up being their final lead of the match.

 

A 5-1 run by the Bison put the hosts ahead, to a 9-6 lead, as they kept their advantage until the Mastodons knotted the score at 18 apiece. The teams then traded sideouts, keeping the set tied, this time at 19, before NDSU ran off four consecutive points, and then closed the match on a Chrissy Knuth kill, her 19^th of the night, giving the hosts the final-set win.

 

Knuth’s 19 kills were a match-high, as she also hit a blistering .586 (2 errors, 29 attempts). Jennifer Lopez dished out 44 assists, as Kelly Lopez and Brooke VandenBergh each had 17 digs.

 

The Mastodons return to action on Friday, October 23, at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center when the host Centenary to open a three-match weekend that also includes home dates against Oral Roberts (October 24), and Missouri State (October 25). First-serve for the weekend opener is slated for 7:00 PM.

~Dons~

 

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Another comeback keeps Tech unbeaten at home

College Volleyball Game Results Yesterday 10/17: Another comeback keeps Tech unbeaten at home

Hokies drop Tigers, 3-2, behind Gergen's school-record 37 digs

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech Hokies have officially become the comeback kids in volleyball. Tech roared back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Clemson, 3-2 (20-25, 27-29, 26-24, 25-21, 15-13), Saturday night in Cassell Coliseum, capping an exciting weekend for the team.

Tech (15-5, 5-4 ACC), who came back from an 11-2 deficit in the second set of a sweep of Georgia Tech on Friday, faced a two-set and 21-14 Tiger lead in the pivotal third period on Saturday, before coming all the way back to take the 3-2 decision against Clemson (14-6, 5-4 ACC).

"It was an amazing momentum swing we had in that third [set]," Tech head coach Chris Riley said. "We were down and the match was almost over. It speaks to the heart of this team when they can come back from that. I thought we were really amazing with not giving [the momentum] back at any point. Once it shifted, it never turned around and it was great."

Senior Jill Gergen set a Tech individual match record with a career-high 37 digs, while sophomore Justine Record registered a career-high and season team-high 26 kills in the contest. Record also tallied her fourth double-double of the season, adding 15 digs in the match. Sophomore Erin Leaser also set a career high, dishing out 62 assists. Freshmen Jennifer Wiker and Cara Baarendse recorded 15 and 11 kills, respectively, and junior Amy Wengrenovich earned 14 digs of her own.

The match started out slowly for the Hokies. Both squads went back and forth for much of the first set, as neither team could gain more than a three-point edge, until a Record attack error gave the Tigers a 24-20 lead. A service ace from Clemson's Natalie Patzin sealed the opening frame for Clemson, 25-20.

Set two followed the same pattern as the first period, as again neither team earned more than a three-point advantage, until the Tigers took a 22-18 lead late in the stanza. Tech fought back from the margin though, cutting the cushion to one at 22-21. Clemson reeled off two straight points to push out to a 24-21 advantage, but again the Hokies climbed back and evened the set at 24 apiece. Following two more ties, the Tigers used an attack error by freshman Morgan O'Neill and a kill by Lia Proctor to steal the second set, 29-27.

Tech came out of the locker room sluggish for the early stages of the third set. It appeared Clemson would coast to victory in the period and win the match, as it took a 13-6 lead and extended the margin to 21-14. The Hokies then dug up some of their magic from the previous night and began to chip away. A 5-0 run, pulled Tech within two at 21-19, and after the Tigers won the next point, the Hokies went on a 4-0 run to even the set at 23-23. Tied at 24 all, Record and Wiker combined for back-to-back kills to win the third set, 26-24, and stay alive in the match.

The Hokies quickly took control of the fourth frame, pressing out to a 13-8 lead. The Tigers stayed within striking distance though, until a 3-0 run helped Tech to a five-point cushion at 19-14. Clemson again rallied to pull within one at 21-20, but the Hokies went on a 4-1 streak to put away the Tigers in the fourth period, 25-21.

Tech stayed hot and jumped out to an early 5-1 advantage against the deflated Tigers in the final set. The Hokies carried the lead all the way to 13-9 when Clemson began to recover. A 4-1 run brought Clemson to within one point at 14-13, but a block assist by senior Betsy Horowitz, her team-high fifth block of the night, and Wiker buried Clemson in the stanza, 15-13, and completed another wild Tech comeback in the match, as the Hokies won, 3-2.

As a team, Tech hit .191 and held Clemson to a .172 clip. The Tigers out-blocked the Hokies 13 to nine, but Tech received clutch play from Record, who also added four service aces along with her 26 kills, and Gergen, who tallied a rare kill and assist in addition to her school-record 37 digs, to win the match.

The Hokie victory maintains their unbeaten streak in Cassell Coliseum this season. Tech is a perfect 10-0 at home on the year and has won 12 straight in the Cassell going back to 2008. The Hokies are currently on a five-match win streak.

"You have to hold at home, you have to win," Riley said.

Tech leaves the friendly confines of Blacksburg next weekend for road bouts with Boston College and Maryland. The Hokies play the Eagles on Friday at 8 p.m., and face off against the Terrapins on Sunday at 1 p.m. Results will be available athokiesports.com.
-vt-