TicketsAug. 25, 2007
CINCINNATI---Cincinnati got 14 kills and six blocks from Jessie Nevitt as the Bearcats improved to 2-0 on the young season with a sweep of Oakland. The match was UC's first of the day in the State Farm Bearcats Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel and was won by scores of 30-23, 30-20, 30-22.
The Bearcats looked sluggish at times, finishing the match with a hitting percentage of just .225. Nevitt led the charge with a match-high kills total on .414 hitting. Stephanie Niemer and Jessica Elley tacked on 11 kills apiece in a winning effort. Lindsay Upton also had a solid performance in her second collegiate match, hitting .417 with seven kills and three aces.
The key to the win for the Bearcats was defense as UC limited the Golden Grizzlies (0-2) to just .093 hitting, marking the second straight match Cincinnati's opponent has hit below .100. Stephanie Parkin totaled nine kills to lead Oakland. Elley scored another double-double with 13 digs, while Jenny Custer and Natalie Dossman had 10 apiece.
The opening frame was a struggle for the Bearcats as the Grizzlies held a .294 to .273 hitting advantage despite the defeat. Oakland scooted to an early lead in a game that featured eight ties and five lead changes. The Bearcats actually trailed by a 14-11 margin, but charged into the lead with a 9-2 surge. Oakland would get within four on a couple of occasions, but kills by Nevitt, Niemer and Upton ended the game in UC's favor.
In spite of their offensive struggles, UC cranked up the defense in game two, holding Oakland to -.047 hitting. The Bearcats dominated, leading from start to finish and opening a 10-points advantage at 18-8. UC held its biggest lead at 27-14 and after a late OU push, a Lindsey Peterson kill sealed the win for the hosts.
Game three was close early before Cincinnati drew out to a small lead at 14-10. Oakland responded with four straight points to tie it and knotted the score again later at 17. UC would go on to score eight of the next 12, however and force an Oakland timeout at 25-21 Bearcats. Niemer carried UC the rest of the way, dropping four kills in the team's last five points to wrap up the victory.
UC's final match of the weekend has shaped up into a tournament championship match as the undefeated Bearcats will take on unbeaten Maryland at 7:30 p.m.