TicketsOct. 7, 2008
CINCINNATI - In a five-set thriller between in-state foes, the University of Cincinnati's volleyball team defeated the Dayton Flyers, 3-2 , to earn its third consecutive victory Tuesday evening. Cincinnati (13-5) out blocked the Flyers 16.5 to 9.0, but Dayton (11-7) collected 81 digs compared to the Bearcats' 64.
Cincinnati used the momentum gained over the past weekend to jump out to an early 10-3 advantage. Three Dayton errors and a kill and service ace from sophomore Lindsay Upton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) highlighted the early run. After Dayton closed within five points, 17-12, a kill by freshman Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) and two Cincinnati blocks pushed the Bearcat lead back to eight points, 20-12, forcing a Flyer timeout. From that point, the Bearcats cruised to a 25-17 opening set triumph.
In front by one point early in the second set, 8-7, a kill by senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain) followed by two sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) kills pushed the Bearcats ahead, 11-7. Dayton closed to within three points, 15-12, before consecutive kills down the line by senior Jessica Elley (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert) re-established a five-point lead, 17-12. Down the stretch, the Bearcats maintained their comfortable cushion and a kill by Elley cemented a 25-20 set-two victory.
A see-saw battle characterized the third set until the Flyers used a kill and a solo block to take its first lead of the set, 18-16. Cincinnati closed to within one point on two occasions, with the last at 18-19, before the Flyers took the next two points to take a 21-18 advantage. The Bearcats were unable to overcome the deficit as Dayton extended the match to a fourth set with a 25-20 third-set win.
Dayton carried over its momentum from the third set to the fourth as it took a 15-9 edge. Three Bearcat blocks and a Flyer attack error brought the Bearcats back into the set, 15-13. Every time the Flyers extended their lead, Cincinnati would crawl back within two points, but the Bearcats were unable to gain any ground as the Flyers took the final set, 25-20.
The Bearcats were the first team to eight points as they took an 8-6 lead when the teams switched sides in the final set. After a Lindsay Fletemier kill cut the deficit to one point, 10-9, a Flyer error, a Nevitt kill and a block by Nevitt, Harpenau and an Elley gave Cincinnati some breathing room, 13-9. A Bearcat service error made the score 13-10, before another Nevitt kill and a block by Nevitt and sophomore Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) closed out the set, 15-10.
Nevitt and Elley led the team with 16 kills apiece, while Niemer and Harpenau added 13 kills and 12 kills, respectively. Junior Jaime Frey posted 14 digs to lead the squad, while Nevitt added 11 blocks assists and one solo block. Nevitt's 11 block assists moved her into second place on Cincinnati's career block assist chart past assistant coach Myanna Hellsten.
Cincinnati returns to BIG EAST action this weekend when the Bearcats welcome Seton Hall for a 7:30 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 10 and Villanova for a 2 p.m. match on Sunday, Oct. 12.