TicketsSept. 15, 2005
Contact: Shawn Sell
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Cincinnati scored a school-record 104 points en route to a hard fought three-game win over Jacksonville State on Thursday night in the Bearcats' home opener in Fifth Third Arena. In the second match of the State Farm Invitational presented by The Vernon Manor Hotel, UC was victorious by scores of 30-20, 44-42, 30-24.
The Bearcats (3-4) survived an epic game two battle that featured 18 ties and three lead changes. The game was one of the highest scoring frames in program history since the inception of rally scoring.
Jenny Custer had one of the best matches of her career, recording 17 kills on .500 hitting and adding 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Myanna Hellsten tacked on 12 kills, while hitting .318, and Jessie Nevitt added 10 on .500 hitting. UC hit a season-high .316 for the match.
Abbey Breit had an outstanding match for Jacksonville State (3-5) totaling 21 kills on .319 hitting. Former Bearcat Suzi Terrell added 16 and Rebekah Nichols had 10.
The Bearcats weren't ever seriously challenged in game one as they roared to a 9-3 lead and never looked back. UC hit a blistering .469 in the stanza and survived a late Gamecock charge that brought them within 19-16. Cincinnati closed game one with an Erin Maldo kill to seal the 10-point victory.
The second game featured 18 ties and three lead changes and saw both teams with many opportunities to close out the win. The Bearcats moved into a game-point situation at 29-24 on a kill by Maldo, but suddenly here came the Gamecocks. JSU ripped off five straight points to even the contest at 29. Both teams had numerous chances to seal the deal, but to no avail. With the score 42-41 in favor of UC, Maldo served a ball into the net for the 18th tie of the game. But UC responded getting a side out on a Hellsten kill and finally sealing the incredible victory on Nevitt's sixth kill of the night.
Much like the second game, the third game was a barn burner, with the final tally showing seven ties and one lead change. UC fell behind by as much as three in the early going, but took the lead for good on a Custer kill to make it 22-21. From there, UC closed out the win with an 8-3 run, with Pongonis (two), Hellsten, Nevitt, Maldo and Custer all contributing kills in the spurt. Pongonis sealed the Bearcats' triumph with a match-clinching seventh kill of the night.
Cincinnati continued its stellar defensive play, putting three players in double figure digs. Freshman libero Melissa Zenz reached double figures for the seventh straight match with a team-best 13, while Custer and Pongonis each added 11. Nevitt blocked seven balls at the net, including a career-best three via the solo route. Setter Noel Olson dished out 49 assists and set a personal-best with four service aces.
Jacksonville State's defense got a match-best 16 digs from libero Kisha West, along with 10 by Jessica Starck. Annie O'Connor had 43 assists in just two games at setter after spelling starter Emily Withers. Service errors killed the Gamecocks, as they committed 15 for the night.
UC will be back in action with a pair of matches as part of the State Farm Bearcat Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel on Friday. The Bearcats will face George Washington at Noon, with the finale coming against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 7:30 p.m.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 3, George Washington 2UW-Milwaukee jumped to a two games to none lead, then held off a George Washington charge to record a five-game win in the opener of the State Farm Bearcat Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel. UWM won the contest by scores of 30-28, 30-26, 19-30, 30-32, 16-14.
Cheryl Hegemann led four Panthers in double figure kills with a match-high 19. Becky Peters added an incredible 41 digs for UWM which is now 6-4 on the year.
George Washington (2-6) put three players in double figure kills with Kelly Kabbes and Janine Brown each totaling 15.