TicketsNov. 25, 2011
CINCINNATI -The University of Cincinnati volleyball team saw the nation's longest home winning streak in the nation slip away with a 3-2 loss to Ohio University Friday afternoon at Fifth Third Arena (25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 29-27, 15-13).
The Bearcats were led in the match by the all-around play from junior Becca Refenes (Westland, Mich. /Lutheran Westland). The middle blocker recorded 14 kills, seven block assists, three digs and a solo block.
Fellow junior Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind. /Lawrence North) led the team with 19 kills. Junior Emily Hayden (Louisville, Ky. /Assumption) followed with 11 kills.
Freshman Caylin Mahoney (Fort Worth, Texas/Keller Central) led the match with 51 assists. She also recorded 13 digs and 6 kills. Sophomore Emily MacIntyre recorded 20 digs and seven assists in the match.
Just like the rest of the match, the fifth and final set started very even with the teams trading points. The Bearcats led early 4-3 thanks to a Hayden kill. Refenes then solo blocked the Bobcat setter and placed a kill in the middle of the court for a 7-4 lead. MacIntyre continued her 5-0 serving run thanks to a kill from senior Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) for a 10-6 lead. Refenes and Scott teamed up for a block for the tight 12-11 lead. A Cincinnati blocking error resulted in the Bobcat match win 15-13.
Junior Megan Turner (Ontario, N.Y. /Wayne Central) started the fourth set with two kills and Mahoney added one for a 5-3 Bearcat lead. Ohio then gained momentum, even with a Hayden kill, to get ahead 13-11. Scott added a kill to tie the score at 17. The Bobcats then got the lead at 23-22. After four match points for the Bobcats, the Bearcats finally got set point 28-27. The Bearcats got the nerve-wracking win to force a fifth set 29-27.
Miscommunication on the Bearcat side started the third set with a 5-3 Bobcat lead. The Bobcats continued their lead, even with a Turner kill 13-10. Refenes then recorded a dig and two kills even though the Bobcats stayed ahead 19-18. The Bearcats fought until the end, but the Bobcats earned the set victory 25-21.
Hayden and Scott started the second set with kills for a 7-5 lead. After trading points and leads, Hayden and Harpenau got kills for the 15-13 lead. Ohio then got their first lead of the set at 19-18. Scott served an ace, but the Bobcats were still on top late in the set 22-21. Even with a set point for Ohio, Hayden kept the Bearcats alive with a kill off of an overpass 24-23. The set ended with a Bobcat kill to force the match to a 1-1 tie 26-24.
Kills from Scott, Refenes and Harpenau started the match with a close 13-11 Bearcat lead. Additional kills from Harpenau and Turner and digs from MacIntyre increased their lead 21-18. Hayden then put down a kill on the slide behind Mahoney for a 23-20 lead. Scott ended the set for the Bearcat win with a kill 25-21. The last kill was one of eight for Scott in the first set alone for a .462 hitting percentage.
The Bearcats will be back in action tomorrow to close out the regular season November 26 at 5:00 p.m. when they take on Miami (OH). The match will serve as senior night as the team will honor lone senior Missy Harpenau in her last home match of her career.