TicketsSept. 6, 2008
HONOLULU - The University of Cincinnati's volleyball team dropped its first match of the season to No. 12 Minnesota (17-25, 13-25, 20-25) in its second match of the Honolulu Advertiser Volleyball Challenge Saturday afternoon. Cincinnati (4-1) hit just .005 for the match, while Minnesota (4-1) hit at a .296 clip.
Cincinnati got off to a slow start in the first set just as it did in its first match of the tournament against Wyoming. Four Bearcat attack errors and a Minnesota service ace gave the Golden Gophers a 5-0 cushion. The Bearcats continued to struggle as six attack errors and three service errors helped Minnesota take its biggest lead of the set, 20-9, forcing a Cincinnati timeout. Despite the deficit, the Bearcats found some momentum at the end of the set as senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw) recorded three kills and two service aces to cut Cincinnati's deficit to seven points, 17-24, but the Golden Gophers went on to win set one, 25-17.
The Bearcats remained within striking distance of the Golden Gophers early in the second set, but a four-point Minnesota run pushed Minnesota in front, 13-7, forcing Cincinnati to use its first timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, the Golden Gophers took seven of the next 10 points, giving Minnesota a 10-point advantage, 20-10. From that point, Cincinnati was unable to mount a rally as Minnesota took the second set, 25-13.
After falling behind 3-0 in the third set, kills by freshman Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) and Nevitt brought the Bearcats within one point, 3-4, but three straight Minnesota points pushed the Gophers on top, 7-3. Minnesota expanded its lead to 13-7, but back-to-back kills by sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) and freshman Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) helped cut the Golden Gopher cushion to four points, 15-11. Just as it looked like the Golden Gophers had the third set wrapped up, the Bearcats took six of seven points late in the third set to close within two points, 20-22, but three Bearcat miscues gave Minnesota a 25-20 win.
Niemer led the way offensively for the Bearcats with eight kills, while Harpenau added six kills and 10 digs.
Brook Dieter led the way for Minnesota on both sides of the net with a game-high 10 kills and seven blocks.
Cincinnati plays its final match of the Honolulu Advertiser Volleyball Challenge at 11 p.m. (ET) against No. 11 Hawai'i.