TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team battled once again in a five-set match but this time suffered a defeat as Indiana was able to win 3-2 Friday night in front of a great crowd at St. Ursula Academy.
Jordan Thompson set a new career-record with 35 kills in the match while hitting .316. 35 kills is the most of any UC player in any single match during the rally scoring era and is the second most all-time in any Bearcats' match. It also ranks third all-time in the American Athletic Conference record book. Thompson has now collected thirty or more kills in four matches this season and continues to be the national leader in kills and points.
// NOTES
• UC slips to 8-3 on the season while Indiana moves to 8-2
• Three Bearcats reached double-digits in kills. Erica Kostelac followed Thompson with 15 while Maria Mallon had ten
• Thompson also finished with eight digs, four blocks and three aces in her impressive performance
• Armania Heckenmueller led the team with 60 assists, the second time this season the freshman has had that many
• Three Bearcats also reached double-digits in digs, led by 16 from Abby Williams. Heckenmueller followed with 14 while Carly Nolan had ten
• Dasha Cabarkapa had a team-high six blocks
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"I think the effort tonight was incredible. We put together a really nice match. There are some little things that separate out when you're playing a good team, that's by far the best serving team that we've seen all season. I don't think we made adjustments quick enough in that area and we still have some silly errors that we can take care of with just a little more mindfulness on the court. But, it was an amazing crowd, really amazing effort. Overall, it was a fantastic volleyball match."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
The Bearcats scored the first three points of the match on a Thompson kill, Thompson ace and a Hoosiers attack error. The Hoosiers got back in it with a 4-0 run to lead 6-4 early on. The set went back-and-forth until UC broke a 10-10 tie with a five-point run. Thompson and Kostelac each had two kills during that streak and Jasmine Jones had the other. IU brought the set within one point later on, but up 21-20, two errors and a Thompson kill grew UC's lead to four. The final point came via another Thompson attack.
Set 2: IU, 25-20
The two teams traded points before Indiana got ahead 5-4 and went on to tie the match. The Hoosiers had two early 3-0 runs to aid to their lead, but each was stopped by a UC kill, one by Cabarkapa and the other by Thompson. The Bearcats rallied for three straight points later to put the match at 13-11. Down by five, UC went on another 3-0 run thanks in part to a block by Thompson and Cabarkapa. However, the Hoosiers answered with a 4-0 streak of their own to go up 21-15. A kill by IU ended the set in its favor.
Set 3: UC, 25-20
The Bearcats bounced back to win the third set and get the match lead back. Down 6-5, five straight points put UC ahead 10-6, with the final point of that run coming on a Heckenmueller ace. From there. UC stayed in control. Indiana brought the set within a point, but kills by Thompson and Kostelac and an attack error helped maintain the lead. Mallon and Cabarkapa teamed up for a block to make it set point and a Thompson kill gave the set to the Bearcats
Set 4: IU, 26-24
UC looked to have the fourth set late, but IU was able to overcome and take it to send the match to a deciding fifth set. Cabarkapa posted a solo block early on to give the Bearcats a 5-4 advantage. The home team would go up 9-7 later after a Kostelac kill. However, IU strung together three-straight to take a one-point lead. Mallon came up big with three consecutive kills to get the Bearcats back on the right side of the scoreboard, 15-13. It became 18-14 soon after when Mallon served up an ace. Despite the four-point lead, the Hoosiers were able to take over control of the set. A 7-0 run put IU ahead and UC was never quite able to get back in front as a kill and error sent the match to the final set.
Set 5: IU, 15-12
The Bearcats got out to a good start, leading 4-1 after two attack errors, a Mallon kill and a block by Thompson and Jones. However, the Hoosiers worked their way back in to the set. With Indiana leading 6-5, a block by Cabarkapa and Thompson and a Thompson ace with an IU attack error in-between made it 8-6 in favor of the Bearcats. The set lead switched sides continually until the Hoosiers were able to pull away late. Two kills and an ace put IU up by three. Against set point, Kostelac kept the Bearcats alive with a kill, but an error finished the match.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Queen City Classic wraps up on Saturday when UC hosts Xavier in a rivalry contest. That match is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
// 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 (GoBearcatsVB).
Jordan Thompson set a new career-record with 35 kills in the match while hitting .316. 35 kills is the most of any UC player in any single match during the rally scoring era and is the second most all-time in any Bearcats' match. It also ranks third all-time in the American Athletic Conference record book. Thompson has now collected thirty or more kills in four matches this season and continues to be the national leader in kills and points.
// NOTES
• UC slips to 8-3 on the season while Indiana moves to 8-2
• Three Bearcats reached double-digits in kills. Erica Kostelac followed Thompson with 15 while Maria Mallon had ten
• Thompson also finished with eight digs, four blocks and three aces in her impressive performance
• Armania Heckenmueller led the team with 60 assists, the second time this season the freshman has had that many
• Three Bearcats also reached double-digits in digs, led by 16 from Abby Williams. Heckenmueller followed with 14 while Carly Nolan had ten
• Dasha Cabarkapa had a team-high six blocks
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"I think the effort tonight was incredible. We put together a really nice match. There are some little things that separate out when you're playing a good team, that's by far the best serving team that we've seen all season. I don't think we made adjustments quick enough in that area and we still have some silly errors that we can take care of with just a little more mindfulness on the court. But, it was an amazing crowd, really amazing effort. Overall, it was a fantastic volleyball match."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
The Bearcats scored the first three points of the match on a Thompson kill, Thompson ace and a Hoosiers attack error. The Hoosiers got back in it with a 4-0 run to lead 6-4 early on. The set went back-and-forth until UC broke a 10-10 tie with a five-point run. Thompson and Kostelac each had two kills during that streak and Jasmine Jones had the other. IU brought the set within one point later on, but up 21-20, two errors and a Thompson kill grew UC's lead to four. The final point came via another Thompson attack.
Set 2: IU, 25-20
The two teams traded points before Indiana got ahead 5-4 and went on to tie the match. The Hoosiers had two early 3-0 runs to aid to their lead, but each was stopped by a UC kill, one by Cabarkapa and the other by Thompson. The Bearcats rallied for three straight points later to put the match at 13-11. Down by five, UC went on another 3-0 run thanks in part to a block by Thompson and Cabarkapa. However, the Hoosiers answered with a 4-0 streak of their own to go up 21-15. A kill by IU ended the set in its favor.
Set 3: UC, 25-20
The Bearcats bounced back to win the third set and get the match lead back. Down 6-5, five straight points put UC ahead 10-6, with the final point of that run coming on a Heckenmueller ace. From there. UC stayed in control. Indiana brought the set within a point, but kills by Thompson and Kostelac and an attack error helped maintain the lead. Mallon and Cabarkapa teamed up for a block to make it set point and a Thompson kill gave the set to the Bearcats
Set 4: IU, 26-24
UC looked to have the fourth set late, but IU was able to overcome and take it to send the match to a deciding fifth set. Cabarkapa posted a solo block early on to give the Bearcats a 5-4 advantage. The home team would go up 9-7 later after a Kostelac kill. However, IU strung together three-straight to take a one-point lead. Mallon came up big with three consecutive kills to get the Bearcats back on the right side of the scoreboard, 15-13. It became 18-14 soon after when Mallon served up an ace. Despite the four-point lead, the Hoosiers were able to take over control of the set. A 7-0 run put IU ahead and UC was never quite able to get back in front as a kill and error sent the match to the final set.
Set 5: IU, 15-12
The Bearcats got out to a good start, leading 4-1 after two attack errors, a Mallon kill and a block by Thompson and Jones. However, the Hoosiers worked their way back in to the set. With Indiana leading 6-5, a block by Cabarkapa and Thompson and a Thompson ace with an IU attack error in-between made it 8-6 in favor of the Bearcats. The set lead switched sides continually until the Hoosiers were able to pull away late. Two kills and an ace put IU up by three. Against set point, Kostelac kept the Bearcats alive with a kill, but an error finished the match.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Queen City Classic wraps up on Saturday when UC hosts Xavier in a rivalry contest. That match is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
// 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 (GoBearcatsVB).