TicketsNov. 3, 2006
PITTSBURGH, Pa.---A miracle comeback came up just short as Cincinnati endured a heart wrenching five-game loss at Pittsburgh in BIG EAST volleyball action on Friday night. The Panthers, which entered the evening tied for fourth in the league standings with the Bearcats, were victorious by scores of 16-30, 30-25, 30-28, 28-30, 15-13, snapping UC's season-long five-match winning streak.
The Bearcats (18-6, 7-4 BIG EAST) dug themselves a 12-4 hole in the deciding fifth game, but shocked the home crowd in Fitzgerald Fieldhouse by roaring back to tie the score at 13. But Pittsburgh (20-7, 8-3 BIG EAST) would have no more as Stephanie Ross and Diana Andreyko dropped consecutive kills to thwart the Bearcats' effort at a victory.
The Ross-Andreyko duo combined to do most of the damage offensively for Pitt, combining for 46 kills. Andreyko led all players with 26 while Ross had 20. Kelly Campbell added 15 for the victors.
Cincinnati had a multitude of star studded performances in defeat, led by Jessica Elley's career-high 24 kills. Jenny Custer added 21 to miss tying her personal-best by just one. Myanna Hellsten had a career night on her 22nd birthday with 19 kills. Pittsburgh did find an answer for Jessie Nevitt, one of the Bearcats' top offensive threats, holding her to just nine kills.
"We just didn't do enough good things to win tonight," UC head coach Reed Sunahara said. "Pitt's outside hitters just torched us and that really was the difference in the match, we couldn't stop them."
UC showed it was ready to play at the outset, shaking off a six-all tie with a 5-0 run, three on Nevitt kills to pull into an 11-6 lead. The Bearcat lead would reach double digits at 19-9 when Hellsten and Elley converged on a block and UC doubled up Pitt at 24-12 on Nevitt's fifth kill of the game. The Bearcats held a decisive .357 to .059 hitting advantage in the game one 30-16 victory.
Pittsburgh made all the right adjustments in game two due in part to Ross and Andreyko coming to life with five kills apiece in the frame. The visitors led early at 5-3, but would never show an advantage again for the balance of the game. UC stayed close throughout, tying the score on a Hellsten kill at 19. A 6-2 Pitt spurt forced a Bearcat timeout, but UC kept fighting, getting to 27-25 when Elley connected on a kill. That would be Cincinnati's final point of the game as two Andreyko kills sandwiched around an ace by Michelle Rossi closed out the 30-25 Pitt win.
The third game was close early until a 5-1 Bearcat run pushed them in front 21-16. Pitt had an answer with four straight points and suddenly it was a one-point contest. The Bearcats marched in front 26-23 on a Custer kill, but back-to-back Ross and Andreyko kills again cut the UC lead to one. Following another Custer kill, Pitt scored four straight to set up game point at 29-27. Custer again produced a kill, but so did Andreyko and Pitt had a come-from-behind 30-28 win.
The two evenly matched teams again staged a close battle in game four, with Cincinnati climbing within 19-18 late in the going. Pitt looked as if they might make the match a four-game win, scoring four in a row to draw into a comfortable lead at 23-18. UC fought back again, scoring five of the next six to get within 24-23. After a Campbell kill, the visitors rattled off three straight to take their first lead since 8-7. Pitt scored twice more to regain the lead but a kill by Hellsten and two by Elley put the Bearcats in the driver's seat at 29-27. Ross answered with a kill to keep Pitt within one, but Elley banged her 20th kill to send the match to game five.
After the emotional game four comeback, Cincinnati could do nothing right at the start of game five, using both timeouts early and falling behind 9-2. Things weren't much better at 12-4 Pitt, before UC finally sprang into action. It started with a Custer kill and three points later, the Bearcats were within four at 12-8. A corner shot by Nevitt sailed just long hurting UC, but the Bearcats then did the improbable, scoring five in a row, two on blocks by Custer and Nevitt and two on Elley kills to even the match at 13. The duo of Ross and Andreyko then did their magic, finishing off the Bearcats with consecutive kills.
Jaime Frey had another stellar defensive performance for the Bearcats, finishing with 30 digs. It marked the third time in the last four matches the freshman has recorded at least 30. Nevitt had six blocks, while Custer had five for UC.
Rossi was also impressive on the backline for the Panthers, totaling 28 digs. The Pittsburgh blocking was exceptional, finishing with 20 team blocks. Jessica Moses had 12, while Andreyko added eight and Kim Kern seven.
Cincinnati will try to get back on track on Sunday, traveling to West Virginia for a 2 p.m. match.
Notes
- Series record: Pittsburgh leads, 7-3.
- Both Jenny Custer (6th of season, 16th of career) and Noel Olson (5th of season, 17th of career) had double-doubles.
- Jessica Elley (24) and Myanna Hellsten (18) both posted career-highs in kills. Hellsten's came on a career-high 45 attempts.
- The Bearcats have now lost their last three matches on the road.
- Cincinnati had its season-long five-match win streak snapped.
- Jaime Frey topped 30 digs for the third time in four matches. She has recorded at least 19 digs in seven of 11 BIG EAST matches this season.