TicketsOct. 22, 2013
| | |||||||||||||||||
 3 XAVIER (13-8) Rank: NR |
Cincinnati, Ohio • Attendance: 508 |  1 CINCINNATI (0-21) Rank: NR | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati volleyball team looked to make a comeback in the second set, but ultimately fell 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16) to crosstown rival Xavier University on Tuesday night in Fifth Third Arena. The match was the final non-conference matchup of the season for the Bearcats.
Sophomore Morgan Allred (Carrolton, Texas/Hebron) led the team with 12 kills and collected seven digs on the evening. Junior Madi Lang (Commerce Township, Mich./Florida Atlantic) had 28 assists while freshman Shelby Green (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs) had a match-high 17 digs. Freshman Breanna Barksdale (Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake) led the Bearcats with six blocks, including two solo stuffs.
Combined, Cincinnati totaled 43 kills with 42 assists, 51 digs and 10 blocks.
After falling behind in the first set, Cincinnati opened the second game with four straight points, including two blocks by freshmen Samantha Schrenker (Elmhurst, Ill./York Community) and Barksdale. Xavier climbed back into the game, tying the score at 11-11 on block, but the Bearcats fought back with three consecutive points. A kill by Schrenker, a block by juniors Me'Ashah Nicholson (Shiloh, Ill./Belleville Althoff) and Lang and a service ace by Schrenker gave Cincinnati a 15-12 lead, one they would not relinquish the remainder of the game. A kill by freshman Ciara Hill (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) gave the Bearcats set-point at 24-21, and two points later Allred put the game away with a kill for a 25-22 game victory. Sophomore Amelia Wegman (Aurora, Ill./Rosary) led the Bearcats with three kills in the set while Lang had six digs and nine assists.
The Musketeers climbed back ahead in the match by winning the third set 25-22. After XU opened the game with a 6-3 lead, UC fought back with six of the next eight points, including two kills by Barksdale, to take a 9-8 lead. The teams traded points for most of the set until a kill by Xavier's Aubree Smith gave XU a 21-18 lead. Cincinnati was able to delay the Xavier match point with a dominant kill by Nicholson, but the Musketeers ultimately proved victorious, winning 25-22.
In the fourth set, Xavier built an early lead and never looked back, winning 25-16 and claiming a 3-1 match win. XU took a 9-4 lead after scoring six straight points and expanded the lead to 18-10 on a Cincinnati service error. On its second match point opportunity, Xavier received a kill from freshman Abby Bessler, her 15th of the night, for the 25-16 win.
The Musketeers took a commanding 25-15 victory in the first game. A seven-point XU scoring run put the visitor's ahead 13-5, a lead that the Bearcats could not overcome. Freshman Kristin Conor (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) tallied seven assists in the set to pace the offensive effort while Green had six digs defensively.
The Bearcats will head to the Northeast this weekend for the start of a four-match road swing. Cincinnati will travel to Storrs, Conn., for a 7 p.m. matchup with the University of Connecticut on Friday, Oct. 25 before visiting Rutgers University on Sunday, Oct. 27.
-GoBEARCATS.com-