TicketsOct. 12, 2005
MOREHEAD, Ky.---Cincinnati matched a school record for fewest points allowed as the Bearcats stormed past Morehead State in non-conference volleyball action on Wednesday night. By virtue of the 30-16, 30-14, 30-16 triumph UC stands at 12-6 entering this weekend's match-up with No. 6 Louisville.
The Bearcats hit .319 for the match, with Jenny Custer ending as the only player in double figure kills as she notched a match-high 11. Myanna Hellsten chipped in with nine and Jessie Nevitt and Erin Maldo each added five. Noel Olson passed out 36 assists from her setter position.
The 46 points allowed by the Bearcats matched the effort of a Sept. 14, 2002 win over Austin Peay. UC won by scores of 30-15, 30-13, 30-18 in that victory over the Governors.
UC also used outstanding serving and stellar defense to key the victory. The Bearcats recorded a season-high 14 service aces, including four by Maria Pongonis. The total was the most since UC ran up 17 vs. Washington State on Sept., 10 2004. The Bearcat defense limited Morehead to -.044 hitting, marking the first time since holding Texas-Pan American to -.017 in the opening match of the year that a Cincinnati opponent has hit in the negatives.
The Cincinnati defense got a match-best 13 digs from Melissa Zenz, extending the freshman's streak of double figure dig performances to 18 in a row. Pongonis tacked on 11 for UC. Hellsten and Nevitt led the Bearcats at the net with four blocks apiece. Hellsten's total was good enough to move her from a tie for eighth into sixth on UC's all-time block assists chart with 334.
Morehead State got eight kills and nine digs from Ashley Doscher in falling to 6-16 on the year.
Game one was tight early, with the Bearcats clinging to a 7-4 lead. A 10-3 UC run turned it into a 10-point contest and forced the Eagles second timeout of the frame. MSU got to within seven at 22-15, but Cincinnati closed the frame with an 8-1 spurt that ended the 30-16 contest.
In game two, the Bearcats used a monster run and a -.143 hitting performance by the Eagles to cruise to the 16-point win. Leading 18-12 with Nevitt on the service line, the Bearcats scored the game's next 11 points to overwhelm the Eagles and set up game point. After two straight MSU points, an Eagle error closed out Cincinnati's 30-14 win. The Bearcats also benefited from a match-high .391 hitting in the frame.
In the final game, the Bearcats jumped out to an 8-1 lead and never looked back in closing out the sweep. UC saw its lead grow to 10 for the first time on a Lindsey Peterson ace to make it 15-5, with the scoreboard later showing a 20-12 Bearcat advantage. From there, Cincinnati scored 10 of the last 14 points of the match to close out the Bearcats' third straight win over the Eagles.
As stated, the Bearcats will now gear up for its biggest contest of the year, with the annual battle with arch rival Louisville scheduled for this Sunday. The match, which will be telecast live on ESPNU gets underway from Fifth Third Arena at 12:30 p.m.