TicketsCINCINNATI - Junior Emma Roberson (Brooks, Ky./Evansville) recorded a career-high 27 kills with a .370 attacking percentage as the University of Cincinnati volleyball team dropped a tight 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 25-14, 22-25, 13-15) decision against East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., on Friday night.
The Bearcats won the opening set but lost in the second, heading into the intermission with a 1-1 match score. Things looked to be going well for Cincinnati after dominating the third game 25-14, but the Pirates responded to force a fifth set and then pull out a narrow 15-13 victory in the final set.
// Notables
- With the loss, Cincinnati is now to 13-9 on the season and 5-5 in the American while ECU improves to 10-8 and 3-6.
- Cincinnati had won 11 of 14 matches before falling in the last three. It is the second time this season the Bearcats have lost three straight matches.
- The loss was the first five-set loss of the season for the Bearcats. UC is now 2-1 in long matches after winning at Houston (Sept. 26) and against USF (Oct. 17).
- Roberson's 27 kills were 13 more than anyone else on the court. She also produced double-digit kills for the 15th time in the last 16 matches.
- Additionally, Roberson produced a career-high eight digs and tied a career-high with four blocks.
- Senior Jamie Netisingha (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) produced a match-high 21 digs and has tallied double-digit digs in all but two matches this season. She also has produced at least 20 digs on eight occasions on the year.
- Junior Morgan Allred (Carrolton, Texas/Hebron) recorded her first double-double of the season with 10 kills and a career-high 17 digs.
- Defensively, four UC players tallied double-digit digs, including Netisingha (21), Allred (17), freshman Macie Pifer (Euclid, Ohio/Beaumont) (15) and senior Madi Lang (Commerce Township, Mich./Florida Atlantic) (13).
- Freshman Cortnee Bowser (Kent, Ohio/Theodore Roosevelt) tied a career high with five blocks.
// Alvey's Additions
"We are going to make sure we are the most prepared for the second half of conference play" head coach Molly Alvey said. "Emma (Roberson) was absolutely amazing tonight, she continues to find ways to score points time and time again. She is competing hard and at a very high level and her leadership is truly starting to shine through."
// Set Breakdown
Set 1: UC 25, ECU 21
- A scoring run of seven of eight points for the Bearcats put the visitors ahead 12-6 early in the opening game.
- Holding a 20-18 lead, a kill by Allred sparked a five-point UC run to give the Bearcats set-point at 24-18. Also included in the run were three ECU attacking errors and two blocks by Bowser.
- Roberson totaled seven kills in the set.
Set 2: ECU 25, UC 21
- Cincinnati opened up a 4-1 lead early in the game, but the Pirates worked to tie the score at 8-8.
- With a 15-15 score, two UC setting errors put ECU ahead 17-15, forcing Alvey into a timeout.
- Cincinnati could not stop East Carolina's momentum and used its second timeout to try and stall a five-point Pirates scoring run that put ECU ahead 22-17.
- A kill by ECU's Sydney Darden ended the game at 25-21.
Set 3: UC 25, ECU 14
- A dominating eight-point scoring run for the Bearcats put UC ahead 19-11 on an Allred serving rotation. Roberson tallied four kills in the run and Cincinnati also recorded a block by Bowser and sophomore Ciara Hill (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook).
- Allred hit kills on two of the final three points of the set to win the game for UC, 25-14.
- Roberson added eight kills in the game while Land dished out 12 assists.
Set 4: ECU 25, UC 22
- With UC ahead 8-7, the Pirates rattled off six of seven points to take a 13-9 lead.
- The Bearcats worked to tie the score at 16-16 and the teams traded points through 22-22 when two UC errors and a kill by ECU's Ashley McRae gave the Pirates the 25-22 victory to force the fifth set.
Set 5: ECU 15, UC 13
- East Carolina opened up a 5-1 lead following three consecutive attacking errors by the Bearcats.
- Riding a strong service game from Netisingha, a kill by Hill and three attacking errors from the Pirates brought the score even at 5-5.
- Two ECU blocks and a kill by Natalie Montini gave the Pirates a three-point lead at 13-10.
- Roberson tried to pull her team back into the match with her 26th and 27th kills to get within 14-13, but an ECU kill from Darden ended the push and gave the Pirates the match win.
// Up Next
Cincinnati has a week off to prepare for the second round of conference play. The Bearcats will host UConn at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, in Fifth Third Arena. The match will symbolize the centennial anniversary of the UC Bearcat mascot, as well as a Halloween celebration for fans.
// Follow the Bearcats
For all of the latest information on Cincinnati volleyball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up to the minute updates, follow Cincinnati Volleyball (@cincinnativball) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook and Instagram.
// Ticket Information
Season tickets for all 15 home matches can be purchased for as little $10. For more information, visitGoBEARCATS.com/tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX.
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