TicketsPITTSBURGH – University of Cincinnati volleyball opened the 2019 season with a 3-1 victory against South Carolina at the Panther Challenge Friday afternoon.
The Bearcats won the opening set 25-21 before dropping the second 25-18. A strong third and fourth set saw UC take the match after set scores of 25-20 and 25-21. Both teams received votes in the preseason AVCA Coaches poll.
// NOTES
• Jordan Thompson finished with a team-high in kills and digs with 20 and 18, respectively, starting the year with a double-double
• Thompson also tied the team-highs with four blocks and two aces
• Armania Heckenmueller and Shannon Williams split the setting duties with Heckenmueller having 27 assists and Williams having 19
• Adria Oliver hit double-digits in kills with ten on a .562 hitting percentage
• Karoline Fauske had nine kills and 12 digs with three blocks
• Kerstin Ficker had 17 digs
• Damjana Cabarkapa totaled four blocks
• In two sets played, Madison Waters had six kills, four digs and two assists
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
The Bearcats got the season started off with a kill from Mallon and went up 2-0 after a Gamecock attack error. Two early Fauske kills and two service aces by Thompson in a 4-0 run put UC up 8-4. Cabarkapa and Heckenmuller teamed up for a big block to keep the momentum with the Bearcats as the lead grew to 14-8. Later on, Heckenmueller had a tough solo block and Oliver posted a big kill to get the team to twenty. A service error gave the Bearcats the opening set.
Set 2: USC, 25-18
Thompson started the second set with a kill, but South Carolina slowly worked back to tie the match at one apiece. After a back-and-forth start, Mallon made it a one-point set with a kill and Heckenmueller tied the match at ten with an ace. Another Mallon kill tied the set 12-12. A block and kill from South Carolina put them ahead 16-14 and the Bearcats were unable to get the set lead back. Kills by Oliver and Thompson kept the score close, but an error ended the set.
Set 3: UC, 25-20
South Carolina started the third set off strong, but the momentum shifted and UC took over late. Three-straight kills had the Gamecocks up 4-1 early, but the Bearcats answered with a solo block by Thompson to stop the run. The lead switched hands until a South Carolina error gave UC a lead they did not relinquish. Two more errors and a block by Fauske and Thompson made it a three-point lead. The lead grew to five after a Oliver kill and Gamecocks attack error. A 4-0 run on four kills pushed the advantage to 22-15. Waters and Thompson ended the set with kills.
Set 4: UC 25-21
In the fourth, the Bearcats continued their momentum, taking a 5-1 lead thanks in part to three Waters kills. Heckenmueller served up an ace and an error forced the Gamecocks to call a timeout as the UC lead sat at 13-7. Late kills by South Carolina made it a three-point set, but Fauske closed the match out with a kill.
// UP NEXT
UC will face Panther Challenge host No. 12 Pittsburgh Friday night at 7 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.
The Bearcats won the opening set 25-21 before dropping the second 25-18. A strong third and fourth set saw UC take the match after set scores of 25-20 and 25-21. Both teams received votes in the preseason AVCA Coaches poll.
// NOTES
• Jordan Thompson finished with a team-high in kills and digs with 20 and 18, respectively, starting the year with a double-double
• Thompson also tied the team-highs with four blocks and two aces
• Armania Heckenmueller and Shannon Williams split the setting duties with Heckenmueller having 27 assists and Williams having 19
• Adria Oliver hit double-digits in kills with ten on a .562 hitting percentage
• Karoline Fauske had nine kills and 12 digs with three blocks
• Kerstin Ficker had 17 digs
• Damjana Cabarkapa totaled four blocks
• In two sets played, Madison Waters had six kills, four digs and two assists
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-21
The Bearcats got the season started off with a kill from Mallon and went up 2-0 after a Gamecock attack error. Two early Fauske kills and two service aces by Thompson in a 4-0 run put UC up 8-4. Cabarkapa and Heckenmuller teamed up for a big block to keep the momentum with the Bearcats as the lead grew to 14-8. Later on, Heckenmueller had a tough solo block and Oliver posted a big kill to get the team to twenty. A service error gave the Bearcats the opening set.
Set 2: USC, 25-18
Thompson started the second set with a kill, but South Carolina slowly worked back to tie the match at one apiece. After a back-and-forth start, Mallon made it a one-point set with a kill and Heckenmueller tied the match at ten with an ace. Another Mallon kill tied the set 12-12. A block and kill from South Carolina put them ahead 16-14 and the Bearcats were unable to get the set lead back. Kills by Oliver and Thompson kept the score close, but an error ended the set.
Set 3: UC, 25-20
South Carolina started the third set off strong, but the momentum shifted and UC took over late. Three-straight kills had the Gamecocks up 4-1 early, but the Bearcats answered with a solo block by Thompson to stop the run. The lead switched hands until a South Carolina error gave UC a lead they did not relinquish. Two more errors and a block by Fauske and Thompson made it a three-point lead. The lead grew to five after a Oliver kill and Gamecocks attack error. A 4-0 run on four kills pushed the advantage to 22-15. Waters and Thompson ended the set with kills.
Set 4: UC 25-21
In the fourth, the Bearcats continued their momentum, taking a 5-1 lead thanks in part to three Waters kills. Heckenmueller served up an ace and an error forced the Gamecocks to call a timeout as the UC lead sat at 13-7. Late kills by South Carolina made it a three-point set, but Fauske closed the match out with a kill.
// UP NEXT
UC will face Panther Challenge host No. 12 Pittsburgh Friday night at 7 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.