TicketsSept. 20, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I - University of Cincinnati senior outside hitter Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) continued the Bearcats stranglehold of the BIG EAST Conference Volleyball Player of the Week as she captured her second straight and the school's third straight league honor this season as UC won the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge title with wins over No. 5 Illinois, 3-2, and Purdue, 3-0.
Niemer, the tournament Most Valuable Player, earned the honor after posting a combined 60 kills, five service aces, 23 digs, and five blocks and hitting .391 in the victories. In the upset of No. 5 Illinois, she notched her seventh double-double of the season with 28 kills and 15 digs, but it was in UC's three-set sweep of Purdue Niemer posted her strongest performance of the year, putting away a BIG EAST season-best 32 kills. It was her second 30-kill performance in Cincinnati's last three matches. She also totaled eight digs, three blocks, and two service aces vs. the Boilermakers.
With the two wins at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, UC is now 10-3 on the season, including two wins vs. Top 25 teams. The victories also move the previously unranked Bearcats into the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 for the first time since the 2003 season.
UC travels to Morehead State tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 21, in its last non-conference match-up before taking on BIG EAST foes Seton Hall on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. at home in Fifth Third Arena.