TicketsGREENVILLE, N.C. – University of Cincinnati volleyball clinched the American Athletic Conference championship with a 3-0 sweep of ECU Friday night.
The Bearcats will have the No. 1 seed at next week's tournament and will host the 2020 AAC Tournament. The championship marks the first for the volleyball program since 2011.
// NOTES
• Jordan Thompson led with 18 kills
• Armania Heckenmueller had a huge night with 45 assists and a team-high 12 digs
• Adria Oliver finished with 11 kills and hit .471
• Maria Mallon added in nine kills and Karoline Fauske finished with eight kills and eight digs
• Damjana Cabarkapa led the team with two blocks and had six kills on an even .500 hitting performance
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC 25-21
A handful of runs helped the Bearcats get the win in the opening set. Down 7-4, the lead switched to 9-7 after two kills by Thompson, two by Oliver and an ace by Fauske. A 3-0 run shortly after made it 13-9 thanks to a Thompson kill and two by Mallon. Three ECU errors with an Oliver kill put together a 4-0 and advanced the UC lead to six, 19-13. After making it set-point on a Mallon kill, the Pirates were able to score the next four points before Thompson ended it with a kill.
Set 2: UC 25-15
A strong finish secured a 2-0 match lead for UC. The second set went back and forth until the Bearcats pulled away from the Pirates with a late 4-0 run to lead 18-13. Cabarkapa started the scoring spurt with a kill, Thompson followed with another, Kerstin Ficker served and ace and Thompson added in another kill. The Bearcats scored seven of the final eight points. Those came from a Thompson kill, Oliver kill, Thompson block, Thompson kill, Fauske ace, Heckenmueller and Oliver block and, finally, an ECU service error.
Set 3: UC 25-21
Mallon started the third with a kill and the Bearcats slowly began to get out ahead for the victory. Thompson put the team up 9-7 with a kill and Mallon made it 10-8 with another kill. Two straight kills by Cabarkapa pushed the lead to 19-15. Oliver was successful on another attack attempt and Thompson went back-to-back to make it match point. Oliver secured the victory with another kill.
// UP NEXT
The final match of the regular season is home at Fifth Third Arena this Sunday at 1 p.m. versus Tulsa. The American Athletic Conference Tournament begins November 22 in Orlando, Florida. The Bearcats will have a bye into the semifinals and play Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.
The Bearcats will have the No. 1 seed at next week's tournament and will host the 2020 AAC Tournament. The championship marks the first for the volleyball program since 2011.
// NOTES
• Jordan Thompson led with 18 kills
• Armania Heckenmueller had a huge night with 45 assists and a team-high 12 digs
• Adria Oliver finished with 11 kills and hit .471
• Maria Mallon added in nine kills and Karoline Fauske finished with eight kills and eight digs
• Damjana Cabarkapa led the team with two blocks and had six kills on an even .500 hitting performance
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC 25-21
A handful of runs helped the Bearcats get the win in the opening set. Down 7-4, the lead switched to 9-7 after two kills by Thompson, two by Oliver and an ace by Fauske. A 3-0 run shortly after made it 13-9 thanks to a Thompson kill and two by Mallon. Three ECU errors with an Oliver kill put together a 4-0 and advanced the UC lead to six, 19-13. After making it set-point on a Mallon kill, the Pirates were able to score the next four points before Thompson ended it with a kill.
Set 2: UC 25-15
A strong finish secured a 2-0 match lead for UC. The second set went back and forth until the Bearcats pulled away from the Pirates with a late 4-0 run to lead 18-13. Cabarkapa started the scoring spurt with a kill, Thompson followed with another, Kerstin Ficker served and ace and Thompson added in another kill. The Bearcats scored seven of the final eight points. Those came from a Thompson kill, Oliver kill, Thompson block, Thompson kill, Fauske ace, Heckenmueller and Oliver block and, finally, an ECU service error.
Set 3: UC 25-21
Mallon started the third with a kill and the Bearcats slowly began to get out ahead for the victory. Thompson put the team up 9-7 with a kill and Mallon made it 10-8 with another kill. Two straight kills by Cabarkapa pushed the lead to 19-15. Oliver was successful on another attack attempt and Thompson went back-to-back to make it match point. Oliver secured the victory with another kill.
// UP NEXT
The final match of the regular season is home at Fifth Third Arena this Sunday at 1 p.m. versus Tulsa. The American Athletic Conference Tournament begins November 22 in Orlando, Florida. The Bearcats will have a bye into the semifinals and play Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.