TicketsBOWLING GREEN, Ky. – University of Cincinnati volleyball dropped a 3-1 match on the road at Western Kentucky Tuesday night. The Bearcats fell 25-19 ad 25-23 in the first two sets, answered with a 25-22 set-three victory, then lost the match in a 25-18 fourth set defeat.
// NOTES
• UC now sits at 9-4 on the season while WKU moves to 9-5
• Jordan Thompson led the Bearcats with 24 kills, eight digs and three blocks
• Shannon Williams finished with 27 assists while Armania Heckenmueller had 18
• Carly Nolan led the team with 11 digs
• Maria Mallon just missed a double-double in three sets played. She totaled ten kills and nine digs
• Dasha Cabarkapa set a career-high with nine kills and had a team-high four blocks. She hit .533
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"It was a very solid Western Kentucky team tonight that we played. This is always a tough place to play with a good, strong history of volleyball here. I think the team is disappointed in the outcome, but I know that they are more than willing to get back in the gym this week and work for their first conference match on Friday. They are excited to start conference and head into this next third of the season. We always talk about non-conference being one third, conference being a third and the postseason being a third. So, I know they are going to be excited to prepare for conference and willing to work on the things that we need to work on. We have a resilient team this year and I am fully confident that they will be able to bounce back against ECU on Friday."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: WKU, 25-19
Down early, the Bearcats went on a 3-0 run after two WKU attack errors and a kill by Nolan. The Bearcats trailed for most of the way but made it a close set towards the end. Down 19-13, UC scored the next four points to make it a two-point set. The run started with an Erica Kostelac kill, followed by a Nolan block, WKU attack error and a block by Cabarkapa and Heckenmueller. A Cabarkapa kill made it 23-19 late, but the Lady Toppers had a kill of their own to make it set point and go on to take the first set.
Set 2: WKU, 25-23
Cabarkapa started off the second with a kill but the Lady Toppers were able to score the next three. The Bearcats, however, got back in front on some WKU mistakes. UC put a 5-0 run together as Heckenmueller, Cabarkapa and Thompson had kills and Cabarkapa and Thompson also teamed up for a block during the streak to make it a 12-7 match. WKU worked back to tie the set at 13 then take a one-point lead to cause a UC timeout. The Bearcats kept it close and did not give up. Facing set point at 24-19, UC scored four-straight on three Thompson kills and a Heckenmueller ace. However, WKU came up with a kill to end the surge and take a 2-0 match lead.
Set 3: UC, 25-22
It was close at the onset, but UC was able to get out in front. Thompson, Nolan and Cabarkapa stuffed an attack to tie it at 11. Down 16-13, four-straight points via two kills by Mallon and a block by Hannah Bolinger and Shannon Williams put UC in front by one. Thompson had back-to-back kills later on to make the lead two, 20-16. WKU went on a 3-0 run from there, but UC was able to hold it off. A kill from Nolan, two from Thompson and a Lady Toppers' attack error handed the Bearcats the set victory.
Set 4: WKU, 25-18
Just like the previous set, Mallon began things with a kill. Shannon Williams set up Cabarkapa and Mallon for back-to-back kills and a 6-5 lead, but it would remain close until midway through the set. A 9-9 deadlock turned into a WKU advantage as it went on a 4-0 run. Thompson silenced the streak with a kill but the Lady Toppers were able to keep in front with another run, this one 3-0. UC put together a late surge with a kill by Cabarkapa, a block by Cabarkapa and Mallon and back-to-back Mallon kills, but a late run from WKU handed the victory to the Lady Toppers.
// NEXT MATCH.
American Athletic Conference play begins this weekend when UC travels to ECU for a 7 p.m. match Friday night.
// 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).
// NOTES
• UC now sits at 9-4 on the season while WKU moves to 9-5
• Jordan Thompson led the Bearcats with 24 kills, eight digs and three blocks
• Shannon Williams finished with 27 assists while Armania Heckenmueller had 18
• Carly Nolan led the team with 11 digs
• Maria Mallon just missed a double-double in three sets played. She totaled ten kills and nine digs
• Dasha Cabarkapa set a career-high with nine kills and had a team-high four blocks. She hit .533
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"It was a very solid Western Kentucky team tonight that we played. This is always a tough place to play with a good, strong history of volleyball here. I think the team is disappointed in the outcome, but I know that they are more than willing to get back in the gym this week and work for their first conference match on Friday. They are excited to start conference and head into this next third of the season. We always talk about non-conference being one third, conference being a third and the postseason being a third. So, I know they are going to be excited to prepare for conference and willing to work on the things that we need to work on. We have a resilient team this year and I am fully confident that they will be able to bounce back against ECU on Friday."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: WKU, 25-19
Down early, the Bearcats went on a 3-0 run after two WKU attack errors and a kill by Nolan. The Bearcats trailed for most of the way but made it a close set towards the end. Down 19-13, UC scored the next four points to make it a two-point set. The run started with an Erica Kostelac kill, followed by a Nolan block, WKU attack error and a block by Cabarkapa and Heckenmueller. A Cabarkapa kill made it 23-19 late, but the Lady Toppers had a kill of their own to make it set point and go on to take the first set.
Set 2: WKU, 25-23
Cabarkapa started off the second with a kill but the Lady Toppers were able to score the next three. The Bearcats, however, got back in front on some WKU mistakes. UC put a 5-0 run together as Heckenmueller, Cabarkapa and Thompson had kills and Cabarkapa and Thompson also teamed up for a block during the streak to make it a 12-7 match. WKU worked back to tie the set at 13 then take a one-point lead to cause a UC timeout. The Bearcats kept it close and did not give up. Facing set point at 24-19, UC scored four-straight on three Thompson kills and a Heckenmueller ace. However, WKU came up with a kill to end the surge and take a 2-0 match lead.
Set 3: UC, 25-22
It was close at the onset, but UC was able to get out in front. Thompson, Nolan and Cabarkapa stuffed an attack to tie it at 11. Down 16-13, four-straight points via two kills by Mallon and a block by Hannah Bolinger and Shannon Williams put UC in front by one. Thompson had back-to-back kills later on to make the lead two, 20-16. WKU went on a 3-0 run from there, but UC was able to hold it off. A kill from Nolan, two from Thompson and a Lady Toppers' attack error handed the Bearcats the set victory.
Set 4: WKU, 25-18
Just like the previous set, Mallon began things with a kill. Shannon Williams set up Cabarkapa and Mallon for back-to-back kills and a 6-5 lead, but it would remain close until midway through the set. A 9-9 deadlock turned into a WKU advantage as it went on a 4-0 run. Thompson silenced the streak with a kill but the Lady Toppers were able to keep in front with another run, this one 3-0. UC put together a late surge with a kill by Cabarkapa, a block by Cabarkapa and Mallon and back-to-back Mallon kills, but a late run from WKU handed the victory to the Lady Toppers.
// NEXT MATCH.
American Athletic Conference play begins this weekend when UC travels to ECU for a 7 p.m. match Friday night.
// 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).