TicketsOct. 28, 2005
CHICAGO, Ill.---Three Bearcats tallied double figure kills and Maria Pongonis returned to the line-up, sparking Cincinnati to a three-game BIG EAST win over DePaul on Friday night. The 30-24, 30-18, 30-19 Bearcat victory keeps UC in the running for a top finish in the BIG EAST at 16-7 overall and 7-2 in the league.
Erin Maldo continued her solid play as of late, finishing with a team-best 13 kills. Jessie Nevitt and Jenny Custer each added 10 kills and five blocks and the former finished with a career-best four service aces.
DePaul falls to 4-18 overall and 1-8 in the BIG EAST. The Blue Demons got a match-best 14 kills and 12 digs from Mandy Moorberg.
Pongonis' return to the line-up sparked the Bearcats to a 30-24 game one victory. UC jumped to an early 6-2 lead and still led at 12-10, when the Blue Demons roared back. DePaul used a 7-0 lead to push the Bearcats into a 17-12 hole. At 16-12, Pongonis made her return to the court and helped the Bearcats claw back in. After missing nearly all of the past two matches, Pongonis knocked down a pair of kills in the game. Following a 7-2 run, the Bearcats found themselves back in a tie at 19-all. Cincinnati trailed at 22-20, but scored four straight points to take a lead they would not relinquish. DePaul hung close however, cutting the lead to 25-24 on a Moorberg kill. After a Pongonis kill and a Blue Demon error, Pongonis served three straight aces to close out the frame for the Bearcats.
Custer was the hero of game two for the Bearcats as she recorded six kills on seven swings to pace the Bearcat win. The teams traded the lead early with the score knotted the last time at 14. UC then went to work, using a 10-3 run, including the final three in a row to go up 24-17. After a kill by Aly Zavitz, the Bearcats scored the last six points of the game, three on Hellsten kills to take a two games to none lead with the 30-19 triumph. UC's hitting returned to a .368 clip in game two after hitting just .188 in the opening frame.
Cincinnati led all the way in game three, jumping to a 5-1 lead, highlighted by a pair of Custer kills. DePaul made a game of it, however, getting to within 11-10, just prior to 6-1 Bearcat spurt that pushed UC ahead by six. Cincinnati built its lead up to 26-17, then scored four of the last five points of the night to seal the Bearcats' fourth straight win over DePaul. UC saved its best for last, hitting a match-best .429 in game three to finish the evening at .333.
Melissa Zenz went into double figure digs for the 23rd straight match, finishing with a team-high 13. Pongonis added 12 in limited action. Noel Olson handed out 38 assists from her setter slot.
The Bearcats will look to run their win streak to five when they return to the court at No. 7 Notre Dame on Sunday. The match, scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPNU will get underway at 12:30 p.m.