Tickets
PDF Box Score
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati volleyball team lost by a total of nine points to league-leading SMU on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-0 (23-25, 18-25, 23-25) in Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats used several clutch performances off the bench, including five kills from sophomore Cortnee Bowser (Kent, Ohio/Theodore Roosevelt) and two service aces from redshirt junior Alison Kimmel (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North).
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 16-9 on the year and 9-6 in the American Athletic Conference while SMU improves to 23-3 and 13-1 after winning for the 13th straight time.
- Freshman Abby Williams (Loveland, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) notched 16 digs and has recorded double-digit digs in all but one match this season.
- Freshman Jade Tingelhoff (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South) completed her 12th-career double-double with 25 assists and 12 digs.
- Freshman Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minn./Edina) finished with a team-high nine kills, snapping a streak of 18 consecutive matches with double-digit kills.
- Junior Lise Alaiwan (Villeneuve Loubet, France/Kedge Business School) led the Bearcats with four blocks.
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: SMU 25, UC 23
- The Bearcats were firing on all cylinders early, using three blocks and three kills apiece by Nolan and Thompson to take an early 10-5 lead and force SMU into a timeout.
- SMU got three points back with a UC service error and back-to-back kills to get within 11-8 and cause head coach Molly Alvey to call a timeout.
- The Bearcats got another point on an SMU attacking error but the Mustangs ran off another four-straight points to tie the game at 12-12.
- Not intimidated, the Bearcats rattled off four of their own, using kills by Thompson and Tingelhoff and two SMU errors to grab a 19-15 lead.
- SMU then went back ahead with five straight points, including three kills and a service ace, to force a Bearcats timeout at 21-20.
- The Bearcats fought off two SMU set points with a kill by junior Ciara Hill (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) and a block by Alaiwan and Kimmel, but the Mustangs finally won the set 25-23 with a kill.
Set 2: SMU 25, UC 18
- The Mustangs used three blocks to score seven-of-eight points and take a 10-4 lead early in the second game.
- The Bearcats climbed back within 17-12 after three straight points and back-to-back service aces by Williams. Kimmel got in on the action as well, serving in another pair of aces to get UC within 19-16 and force a SMU timeout.
- Cincinnati got within 20-18 but five straight SMU points, including three UC attacking errors, ended the game at 25-18.
Set 3: SMU 25, UC 23
- The teams played an even set in the third game, where neither coach called a single timeout.
- The Bearcats were down by as many as four points but chipped away to get within 20-19 on a kill by Bowser.
- Two SMU errors tied the score at both 21-21 and 22-22 before a kill by sophomore Maya Muldrow (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) tied the game at 23-all.
- The Mustangs used two kills to close out the set 25-23 and win the match 3-0.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats travel to rival Memphis on Wednesday, Nov. 11, for their second match against the Tigers at 8 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET. Memphis beat Cincinnati 3-2 to open American play on Sept. 23 in Fifth Third Arena.
// 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 (@GoBearcatsVB) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook (GoBearcatsVB) and Instagram (CincinnatiVBall).
// EXPERIENCE UC
The University of Cincinnati department of athletics announced a new initiative entitled Experience UC, geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending women's basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming and diving and track and field home events.