TicketsSTORRS, Conn. –University of Cincinnati volleyball remained unbeaten in conference play after a 3-1 victory on the road at UConn Sunday afternoon.
Defense played a big role as the Bearcats collected a season-high 15 blocks as a team, led by a career-high performance from Dasha Cabarkapa who had 11. Abby Williams had a season-high 23 digs. The Huskies were held to a lowly .049 hitting percentage in the match.
// NOTES
• UC improves to 14-4 overall and 5-0 in conference
• UConn drops to 10-8 and 2-3
• Offensively, Jordan Thompson and Maria Mallon led the team with 12 kills each
• Thompson also had nine digs, three blocks and one ace
• Mallon added in five blocks and two digs
• Carly Nolan neared a double-double with nine kills and eight digs. She also had two aces
• Jade Tingelhoff finished with 21 assists and seven digs
• Armania Heckenmueller had 18 assists and seven digs
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"Another great weekend for us. This is a tough road series as both Temple and UConn always find ways to challenge us. I thought the team did well with the challenge and battled their way to two victories. While we struggled a little offensively to start today's match, we were able to make up for it with our blocking and defense - 15 team blocks with six coming from Damjana. At the end our offense turned back on and we finished the match on top. I am very proud of this team's fight and ability to withstand pressure."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
Two 3-0 runs paced UC early on and helped take the lead in the opening set. Tied 6-6, Cabarkapa and Georgia Tselepi teamed up for a block and Thompson had a kill to aid the first run. After two UConn points, Tselepi had a kill, the Huskies had an attack error and Heckenmueller served an ace to make it a 12-8 set. The lead continued to grow as the Bearcats got up by as much as seven when a Jasmine Jones kill put the score at 21-14. UConn strung together three-straight points when UC had set-point, but an attack error ended the set.
Set 2: UCONN, 25-23
The Bearcats also had an early 3-0 run in the second set, pulling ahead 4-1 on a Jones and Cabarkapa block, Mallon and Cabarkapa block and a UConn error. Tied at 15 later on, Nolan had a kill and then followed with an ace to spurt another 3-0 run and lead by three. However, the Huskies would work their way back. Three late points turned the set from a one-point Bearcats' lead to a one-point Huskies' advantage. A Cabarkapa kill knotted things back up at 23, but UConn posted a block and kill to win the set.
Set 3: UC, 28-18
UC bounced right back to take set three as it began with a 5-3 lead. Three consecutive kills, one by Thompson and two by Nolan, increased the lead to 10-6. UConn brought the match to within one point, but UC came out of a timeout and went on a big 5-0 run. Nolan started it with a kill, Cabarkapa recorded two blocks and Mallon had a block and a kill to make it a six-point set. Another 5-0 run ended the set in the Bearcats' favor as Thompson served an ace, Nolan added a kill and Kostelac closed it out with a kill of her own.
Set 4: UC, 25-17
In the fourth, more UC runs allowed the Bearcats to take the set and the match. A kill by Mallon and block by Jones and Kostelac put UC up 6-3. Back-to-back blocks by Cabarkapa, with help from Mallon and Thompson, and then a Thompson kill made it a 14-8 set. The Huskies brought the lead closer, making it 17-15, but a 3-0 run courtesy of a Kostelac kill, Kostelac and Cabarkapa block and UConn attack error would not allow UConn to get any closer. The Bearcats scored the final four points of the match, winning it on a Mallon kill, Thompson and Cabarkapa block, attack error and a service ace from Nolan.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats remain on the road for a big weekend in conference play. UC takes on Tulsa on Friday, October 12 at 2 p.m. ET and Wichita State on Sunday, October 14 at 2 p.m. ET.
// 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).
Defense played a big role as the Bearcats collected a season-high 15 blocks as a team, led by a career-high performance from Dasha Cabarkapa who had 11. Abby Williams had a season-high 23 digs. The Huskies were held to a lowly .049 hitting percentage in the match.
// NOTES
• UC improves to 14-4 overall and 5-0 in conference
• UConn drops to 10-8 and 2-3
• Offensively, Jordan Thompson and Maria Mallon led the team with 12 kills each
• Thompson also had nine digs, three blocks and one ace
• Mallon added in five blocks and two digs
• Carly Nolan neared a double-double with nine kills and eight digs. She also had two aces
• Jade Tingelhoff finished with 21 assists and seven digs
• Armania Heckenmueller had 18 assists and seven digs
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENT
"Another great weekend for us. This is a tough road series as both Temple and UConn always find ways to challenge us. I thought the team did well with the challenge and battled their way to two victories. While we struggled a little offensively to start today's match, we were able to make up for it with our blocking and defense - 15 team blocks with six coming from Damjana. At the end our offense turned back on and we finished the match on top. I am very proud of this team's fight and ability to withstand pressure."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
Two 3-0 runs paced UC early on and helped take the lead in the opening set. Tied 6-6, Cabarkapa and Georgia Tselepi teamed up for a block and Thompson had a kill to aid the first run. After two UConn points, Tselepi had a kill, the Huskies had an attack error and Heckenmueller served an ace to make it a 12-8 set. The lead continued to grow as the Bearcats got up by as much as seven when a Jasmine Jones kill put the score at 21-14. UConn strung together three-straight points when UC had set-point, but an attack error ended the set.
Set 2: UCONN, 25-23
The Bearcats also had an early 3-0 run in the second set, pulling ahead 4-1 on a Jones and Cabarkapa block, Mallon and Cabarkapa block and a UConn error. Tied at 15 later on, Nolan had a kill and then followed with an ace to spurt another 3-0 run and lead by three. However, the Huskies would work their way back. Three late points turned the set from a one-point Bearcats' lead to a one-point Huskies' advantage. A Cabarkapa kill knotted things back up at 23, but UConn posted a block and kill to win the set.
Set 3: UC, 28-18
UC bounced right back to take set three as it began with a 5-3 lead. Three consecutive kills, one by Thompson and two by Nolan, increased the lead to 10-6. UConn brought the match to within one point, but UC came out of a timeout and went on a big 5-0 run. Nolan started it with a kill, Cabarkapa recorded two blocks and Mallon had a block and a kill to make it a six-point set. Another 5-0 run ended the set in the Bearcats' favor as Thompson served an ace, Nolan added a kill and Kostelac closed it out with a kill of her own.
Set 4: UC, 25-17
In the fourth, more UC runs allowed the Bearcats to take the set and the match. A kill by Mallon and block by Jones and Kostelac put UC up 6-3. Back-to-back blocks by Cabarkapa, with help from Mallon and Thompson, and then a Thompson kill made it a 14-8 set. The Huskies brought the lead closer, making it 17-15, but a 3-0 run courtesy of a Kostelac kill, Kostelac and Cabarkapa block and UConn attack error would not allow UConn to get any closer. The Bearcats scored the final four points of the match, winning it on a Mallon kill, Thompson and Cabarkapa block, attack error and a service ace from Nolan.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats remain on the road for a big weekend in conference play. UC takes on Tulsa on Friday, October 12 at 2 p.m. ET and Wichita State on Sunday, October 14 at 2 p.m. ET.
// 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).