TicketsSept. 20, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The University of Cincinnati's volleyball team completed a sweep of the TIS Bookstore Invitational with a 3-0 win over Indiana University Saturday afternoon at Assembly Hall. It is the second tournament win for Cincinnati (9-3) this season, while Indiana fell to 8-4.
Cincinnati got off to a slow start in the opening set as the Hoosiers jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Despite the slow start, Cincinnati got back on track and won 11 of the next 14 points to take its first lead of the set, 11-10. Trailing 19-17, consecutive kills followed by a service ace from sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) ignited a five-point UC spurt that put the Bearcats back on top, 22-19. A solo block by senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain) gave Cincinnati set point, 24-21, and a freshman Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) kill gave Cincinnati an impressive 25-21 come-from-behind win.
Cincinnati held a four-point lead, 11-7, in the early stages of the second set, but Indiana battled back to square the set at 11-11. From that point, seven tied scores ensued until a Niemer kill and a block by Harpenau and freshman Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) put UC ahead, 22-20. After back-to-back side outs made the score 23-21 in the Bearcats' favor, a kill by Nevitt and a Hoosier attack error handed Cincinnati another 25-21 triumph. Through two sets, Niemer led the way with 15 kills.
Courtesy of two sophomore Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) and a kill and a block assist from senior Jessica Elley (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert), the Bearcats jumped out to an 8-4 advantage. Still ahead by two points, 10-8, Cincinnati took five of the next six points to open up a 15-9 lead. After extending its lead to seven points, 19-12, Indiana rallied off five straight points to close within three points, 19-16, forcing a Cincinnati timeout. Up by two points, 21-19, a kill by Niemer followed by consecutive blocks gave the Bearcats set point, 24-19, before a Hoosier attack error cemented a 25-19 UC win. Niemer paced the Bearcats with 17 kills, while Brandl and Elley added eight kills apiece. Nevitt finished with six kills and seven total blocks. Nevitt was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, while Fesl and Niemer also were selected to the all-tournament team.
Cincinnati returns to the floor for a mid-week clash with IUPUI at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Fifth Third Arena.