TicketsAug. 28, 2007
MOREHEAD, Ky.---The temperature inside and outside of Wetherby Gym was hot and Cincinnati was just as hot on the court as the Bearcat roared to a 4-0 start for the year with a sweep of Morehead State on Tuesday night. UC hit a season-high .374 on its way to a 30-26, 30-20, 30-22 victory.
The Bearcats got strong offensive performances from all-American Jessie Nevitt and the rapidly improving freshmen duo of Stephanie Niemer and Lindsay Upton. The trio combined for 35 kills on .453 hitting to help UC to its first 4-0 start since 2004. Nevitt led the way with 13 kills, while Upton established career-highs with 11 kills and four blocks. Niemer tacked on 11 kills on a career-best .381 hitting.
Three early kills by Nevitt got the Bearcats off to a good start with a 10-4 lead. Later, UC would open its largest lead of the game at 21-12 when Nevitt and Niemer combined on a block. Morehead State made it interesting late in the going, however, as it used an 8-2 run to trim the deficit to 27-25. The Eagles couldn't capitalize though, as they committed a service error and a ball handling to set up UC game point. Niemer then buried an Eagle overpass for her third kill of the first game and a 30-26 Bearcat triumph. UC held a .267 to .167 game one hitting advantage.
After a tight start, game two evolved into one run after another with the final Bearcat push providing the winning margin. Trailing modestly at 7-6, the Bearcats ripped off seven of the next eight points, two on Niemer kills to open a six-point lead. The Eagles took the next turn at a run, scoring seven of nine points to get back within one at 16-15. Three Nevitt kills, two by Jessica Elley and a pair of Bearcat blocks gave the visitors a comfortable cushion at 23-17. The Eagles then came back within five, only to see the Bearcats score the last five, two on kills by Upton to finish off the 30-20 victory. Cincinnati turned up the heat in the game, holding a stout .429 to .091 hitting advantage.
An early 8-0 run in game three proved key for the Bearcats as the guests went ahead to stay. The Bearcats opened a cushion of 13-7 and were never really challenged the rest of the way. Morehead State cut into the deficit late, getting as close as 24-19. In the late going, UC would surrender just three more points and get two kills by Elley to close out the final game. The Bearcats had another strong hitting game in the finale, following up its game two .429 mark with a .424 performance in the finale.
In addition to Upton's four blocks, Nevitt tacked on three and Jenny Custer and Elley had two each. Libero Jaime Frey led all players with 11 digs for the Bearcats.
The Eagles (1-3) got 16 kills on .344 hitting from Kelsey Cronin. Amber Campbell added nine kills and four blocks for Morehead State.
The Bearcats are back on the court this weekend, competing in the Maine Invitational. UC opens tourney play against the host Black Bears on Friday at 6 p.m.