TicketsSept. 1, 2006
PEORIA, Ill.---Jenny Custer and Myanna Hellsten both tied a school record for block assists in a three-game match, propelling Cincinnati to a sweep of Austin Peay in the opening match-up of the Radisson Hotel Invitational. UC improved to 3-1 on the year by virtue of the 30-28, 30-21, 30-15 victory.
Defense was the story of the match for the Bearcats as they combined for a total of 17.0 blocks, the highest single-match total by a UC squad since the 2004 Conference USA Tournament against Saint Louis. Katey Schroeder added a career-best five, while Jessie Nevitt and Jessica Elley turned back three each.
The offense wasn't bad for the Bearcats either as the team combined to hit .321 for the match, including .462 in game one. Nevitt was the only player in the match to record double-figure kills as she finished with 12 on .556 hitting. Elley just missed her fourth straight double-double of the year, finishing with nine kills and a match-best 10 digs.
"I didn't think we were very crisp early and we just didn't start playing very aggressive," UC head coach Reed Sunahara commented. "But we really picked it up and did some nice things towards the end of the match. I thought our blocking got a lot better as the match went on as well. Anytime you can have 17 blocks is a good night."
UC was a little sluggish at the outset, trailing in the game as late as 11-10. The Bearcats drew into the lead for good with a 5-1 run that was punctuated by a block by Hellsten and Custer. Cincinnati drew ahead by as much as five at 25-20, but saw the Lady Govs (0-5) take a 5-2 run to draw back within two. After a UC timeout, two Custer kills and one by Nevitt culminated the 30-28 victory.
The scoreboard showed a 13-9 Cincinnati lead in game two when Austin Peay took its first timeout of the frame. The Bearcats kept the pressure on, scoring five of the next seven points to open an 18-12 advantage. UC would open its edge to as much as eight at 23-15 then scored the final five points of the game to seal the 30-21 win.
The Bearcats turned up the offense and the defense in the deciding game three, hitting .348 and limiting the Lady Govs to -.172. The outcome was never really in doubt as UC raced to a 16-3 lead and never looked back. Blocking proved to be the key in the stanza as UC ripped off a combined 8.5. Cincinnati opened its largest advantage late, going up 29-11 on an Austin Peay error. The Govs stayed alive with four straight points, before Hellsten's fifth kill of the afternoon ended the affair.
Ashley Genslak led APSU with eight kills, while Kristie Kidman and Laura Wussow had seven each.
The Bearcats are back in action with a pair of contests on Saturday. UC will first battle Western Illinois at 11 a.m. CT, before meeting host Bradley in the nightcap at 7 p.m. CT.