TicketsAug. 29, 2008
CINCINNATI - In a new scoring format, 25-point sets instead of 30, the University of Cincinnati's volleyball team began its 2008 campaign with a three-set win (25-17, 25-20, 25-20) over local foe Wright State in its opening match of the 2008 State Farm Bearcat Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor. The win gave Cincinnati head coach Reed Sunahara the 200th win of his career.
Seven Bearcat service errors allowed Wright State to remain within striking distance through the mid-way point of the first set, but behind the strong serving of sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry), Cincinnati surged to a four-point lead, 18-14.With its four-point lead still in tact, 20-16, kills by freshman Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) and senior Jessica Elley (Gilbert, Az./Gilbert) coupled with consecutive kills by sophomore setter Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) closed out a 25-17 first-set win for the Bearcats. All six starters by the Bearcats posted two or more kills in the opening set.
Senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw) put the Bearcats on her back in the beginning of the second set, scoring points on both sides of the net. Nevitt scored six of Cincinnati's opening 10 points, which included four kills, a solo block and a service ace, as Cincinnati held a 10-8 advantage. Two kills by Elley and two Raider errors aided a mini Bearcat spurt that put Cincinnati on top by five points, 15-10. Wright State managed to close within one point, 17-16, after the Raiders won a series of lengthy rallies. Holding a one-point lead, 21-20, two Wright state attack errors and a kill and solo block by Nevitt cemented a 25-20 set-two win for the Bearcats. Nevitt led the Bearcats with four kills in the second set.
After falling behind 2-0 in the third set, the Bearcats quickly re-gained their momentum sustained from the previous two sets by scoring nine straight points to take a commanding 9-2 advantage. After Wright State closed within six points, 12-6, Cincinnati slowly pushed its lead to nine points, 19-10. A Wright State run brought the Raiders within four points, 23-19, but Cincinnati took the final set, 25-20.
Nevitt led the Bearcats with 11 kills, while Elley put nine balls to the floor. Junior Jaime Frey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon), Niemer and Fesl all tallied nine digs for Cincinnati.
Jessica Woods paced the Raiders with eight kills.
Cincinnati takes on Tennessee Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. in its lone match of the day.