Volleyball Opens 2010 With Win in Alumni Match

August 20, 2010

Aug. 21, 2010

CINCINNATI - At the University of Cincinnati volleyball alumni game on Saturday afternoon, the Bearcats swept their former teammates in five sets (25-16, 25-18, 15-7, 25-16, 25-20).

The format for the alumni match was two 25-point games, followed by a 15-point third set and then an alumni option for two more sets. Thirteen former Bearcats' showed up for their bout against the BIG EAST preseason favorites.

UC defeated the alumni team in the first set, 25-16, led by four kills each from sophomores Megan Turner (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne Central) and Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North). Chipping in with three kills was senior Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) and rounding out the scoring for the Bearcats was sophomore Becca Refenes (Westland, Mich./Lutheran Westland) with two kills.

The second game, won by UC, 25-18, featured a barrage of blocking from the Bearcats. A total of 5.5 blocks was recorded in the game, with four different players tallying two block assists and freshman Juliana Behrens (Honolulu, Hawai'i/Punahou School) recording the lone solo block. Three aces were notched by Niemer, bringing her match total to four, while also leading the Bearcats with four kills.

In a shortened game to 15 points, the third game was a victorious one for the Bearcats by a score of 15-7. Niemer tallied two more kills in the game in addition to two by Refenes. Serving was at a premium in the third game as Niemer notched her fifth ace of the contest and junior Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) recorded her first.

Opting to rally together for a fourth game, the alumni team challenged the Red and Black and jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead, its first of the match, but watched it disappear quickly as the Bearcats rallied to win, 25-16. The alumni narrowed the gap at one point to four, 18-14, but Harpenau helped to rally the Bearcats with six kills. Scott also was a key component to Cincinnati's victory with five kills and two block assists in the set.

Despite a mildly winded state, the alumni team was coerced into a fifth and final set by head coach Reed Sunahara. It turned out to be a good decision for the alumni as they pushed the Bearcats to the end, barely getting edged out by a 25-20 tally.

The Bearcats open their 2010 season next weekend, Aug. 27-28, at the San Diego State Tournament, with matches against Northern Colorado, Cal State Northridge and San Diego State. The home opener for Cincinnati is the following weekend with a match against Kent State on Friday, Sept. 3, as a part of the Bearcat Invitational.

Miscellaneous statistics from the match:

BLOCKS: Annie Fesl - 1 BA

Stephanie Niemer - 1 BA

Emily Hayden - 2 BA

Jordanne Scott - 5 BA, 1 BS

Tara Lines - 3 BA

Becca Refenes - 3 BA, 1 BS

Lindsay Upton - 1 BA

Juliana Behrens - 1 BA, 1 BS

Missy Harpenau - 2 BA

ACES: Annie Fesl - 1

Stephanie Niemer - 5