TicketsOct. 21, 2008
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati's volleyball team secured its eighth consecutive victory with a three-set sweep (25-16, 25-18, 25-17) over the Morehead State Eagles Tuesday evening at Fifth Third Arena. Cincinnati (18-5) won every facet of the match as it recorded a higher hitting percentage, more assists, more service aces, more digs, and more blocks than Morehead State (18-4).
Cincinnati capitalized on a few Eagle miscues early in the first set and took a 10-7 advantage. With a three-point cushion, 12-9, two kills by freshman Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) and a kill by sophomore Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) helped the Bearcats widen their lead to six points, 16-10. After a Morehead State kill made the score 16-11, an Eagle service error followed by three consecutive attack errors placed Cincinnati in front, 20-11. The nine-point lead held as the Bearcats took the first set, 25-16.
Behind two kills and two service aces from senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain), Cincinnati took a comfortable 10-5 lead in the second set. Morehead State closed within two points, 11-9, and kept within striking distance until a late four-point surge by the Bearcats stamped shut the set. A sophomore Lindsay Upton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) kill, a Morehead State attack error, a Harpenau kill, and a sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) service ace sent Cincinnati into the locker room with a 25-18 second-set triumph.
The Bearcats jumped on top of the Eagles early for the third consecutive set as two kills by Nevitt and a service ace and a kill by Harpenau helped UC take an 11-6 advantage. Another Cincinnati four-point run, which was highlighted by a solo block from Upton and a block assist from Upton and senior Jessica Elley (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert), widened the Cincinnati margin to nine points, 15-6. Morehead State closed within four points on two different occasions, with the last at 17-13, before the Bearcats took over. A series of mini runs followed by a four-point run to close out the match gave Cincinnati a 25-17 third-set victory.
Nevitt paced the Bearcat attack with 13 kills and hit at a .476 clip for the match. Harpenau recorded a match-high 11 digs.
The Bearcats hit the road this weekend for a pair of crucial BIG EAST matches at Syracuse and at Marquette. The Bearcats and Orange meet at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, before Cincinnati and Marquette square off at 3 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Oct. 26.