TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team capitalized on an 18-0 run in the third set to sweep Houston on Sunday afternoon. The Bearcats won 25-16, 25-17 and 25-8
// NOTES
• UC is now 12-4 on the season and 3-0 in American Athletic Conference play
• Houston drops to 13-6 and 0-4
• The Bearcats held the Cougars to a -.025 hitting percentage in the match and just four kills in the final set
• Jordan Thompson totaled 19 kills, including ten in the final set, and attacked at a percentage of .389 on the day
• Thompson ended with a double-double as she also had 12 digs and two aces
• Maria Mallon had a nice performance with 12 kills while hitting .526
• Jade Tingelhoff led with 20 assists while Armania Heckenmueller contributed with ten assists and eight digs
• Abby Williams led the team with 14 digs
• Hannah Bolinger finished with four blocks while Dasha Cabarkapa had three
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"It was such a solid weekend for us here at home. What we were really looking for this weekend was to be able to execute some things we've been working on. We had a lot of different people and a lot of different options and as a whole as a team we played well out of it. We had a lot of great performances from a lot of different people and I think that's attributed to all 18 players really being bought in to what we are doing and just getting better every day."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-16
Heckenmueller got things going with an ace to put the Bearcats ahead at the start. Tied at eight, Mallon and a kill and Thompson followed later with a kill to break a 9-9 tie. When the set was deadlocked again, this time at 12-12, Bolinger and Erica Kostelac teamed up for a block to give UC the advantage. It would remain close through the next few points until the Bearcats began to distance themselves. Up 14-13, UC scored four-straight on two Mallon kills, a Tingelhoff ace and a block by Mallon and Cabarkapa. Thompson and Mallon both had back-to-back kills as the Bearcats scored the final four points to take the set.
Set 2: UC, 25-17
The second set was also close until UC was able to pull away midway through. Houston scored first but Thompson answered with a kill and an ace. After the set was tied at seven, Cabarkapa had two kills, Thompson had one and Carly Nolan served an ace to force a Houston timeout as UC led by four, 12-8. Mallon and Thompson added in two more kills each to bump the advantage up to 17-11. Mallon finished off the set with three-straight kills to give UC the 2-0 match lead.
Set 3: UC, 25-8
It was all Bearcats in the final set. Down 6-4, UC strung together 18 consecutive points to go ahead 22-6. Thompson had eight kills, Williams had an ace, Carbarkapa and Erica Kostelac each had two blocks and Houston had four attack errors during the impressive streak. The Cougars were only able to muster two more points during the set as Thompson sent home a kill and served over an ace to give UC the match sweep.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Bearcats hit the road to take on Temple and UConn next weekend. UC returns home to St. Ursula Academy for Friday night and Sunday afternoon matches versus USF and UCF on October 19 and 21.
// 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 is now 12-4 on the season and 3-0 in American Athletic Conference play
• Houston drops to 13-6 and 0-4
• The Bearcats held the Cougars to a -.025 hitting percentage in the match and just four kills in the final set
• Jordan Thompson totaled 19 kills, including ten in the final set, and attacked at a percentage of .389 on the day
• Thompson ended with a double-double as she also had 12 digs and two aces
• Maria Mallon had a nice performance with 12 kills while hitting .526
• Jade Tingelhoff led with 20 assists while Armania Heckenmueller contributed with ten assists and eight digs
• Abby Williams led the team with 14 digs
• Hannah Bolinger finished with four blocks while Dasha Cabarkapa had three
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"It was such a solid weekend for us here at home. What we were really looking for this weekend was to be able to execute some things we've been working on. We had a lot of different people and a lot of different options and as a whole as a team we played well out of it. We had a lot of great performances from a lot of different people and I think that's attributed to all 18 players really being bought in to what we are doing and just getting better every day."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-16
Heckenmueller got things going with an ace to put the Bearcats ahead at the start. Tied at eight, Mallon and a kill and Thompson followed later with a kill to break a 9-9 tie. When the set was deadlocked again, this time at 12-12, Bolinger and Erica Kostelac teamed up for a block to give UC the advantage. It would remain close through the next few points until the Bearcats began to distance themselves. Up 14-13, UC scored four-straight on two Mallon kills, a Tingelhoff ace and a block by Mallon and Cabarkapa. Thompson and Mallon both had back-to-back kills as the Bearcats scored the final four points to take the set.
Set 2: UC, 25-17
The second set was also close until UC was able to pull away midway through. Houston scored first but Thompson answered with a kill and an ace. After the set was tied at seven, Cabarkapa had two kills, Thompson had one and Carly Nolan served an ace to force a Houston timeout as UC led by four, 12-8. Mallon and Thompson added in two more kills each to bump the advantage up to 17-11. Mallon finished off the set with three-straight kills to give UC the 2-0 match lead.
Set 3: UC, 25-8
It was all Bearcats in the final set. Down 6-4, UC strung together 18 consecutive points to go ahead 22-6. Thompson had eight kills, Williams had an ace, Carbarkapa and Erica Kostelac each had two blocks and Houston had four attack errors during the impressive streak. The Cougars were only able to muster two more points during the set as Thompson sent home a kill and served over an ace to give UC the match sweep.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Bearcats hit the road to take on Temple and UConn next weekend. UC returns home to St. Ursula Academy for Friday night and Sunday afternoon matches versus USF and UCF on October 19 and 21.
// 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).