Miami Volleyball Falls to FIU in NCAA Tourney, 3-2
Dec. 3, 2009
Gainesville, Fla. – Four FIU players posted double-digit kills while Miami’s Lane Carico collected a match-high 21, as FIU slipped past Miami, 3-2 (25-16, 20-25, 22-25, 27-25, 15-11), on Thursday evening in the opening round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament [Gainesville Regional] at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
Miami (18-13) and its cross-town counterparts put on a classic for all to see Thursday evening, with back-and-forth swings happening the entire way. The momentum swings were almost unbelievable in a match that saw 32 ties and 21 lead changes. The Hurricanes were making their first NCAA postseason appearance since a 2002 “Sweet 16” run, also coached by Nicole Lantagne Welch–now in her ninth year at the helm in Coral Gables.
With the Hurricanes holding a 2-1 set advantage in the match, and clinging to a 21-19 lead in the fourth set following a kill from sophomore Christine Williamson, FIU (32-3) had to find a momentum swing of its own down the stretch of the fourth frame.
UM freshman setter Nrithya Sundararaman served for set- and match-point (25-24), but the Golden Panthers’ Yarimar Rosa put down one of her four kills in the set–two in the final three points, to knot the set, 25-all. Rosa then claimed another kill to put FIU in front, 26-25. The Golden Panthers’ would take advantage of a Hurricanes mistake to earn the 27-25 victory–forcing a fifth and final set.
In the fifth set, Miami took a quick 3-1 lead off three consecutive FIU errors.
The Golden Panthers countered with a 4-2 run started by an Olga Vergun kill, and capped by a Jovana Bjelica kill to give FIU the 8-5 advantage.
Trailing 10-7, Miami went on a 3-0 run with kills from Williamson and Sundararaman, ending with Cassie Loessberg’s service ace tying the score, 10-10. Following an FIU timeout, two consecutive attack errors by the `Canes allowed the Golden Panthers to step back out in front, 12-10. After another Rosa kill, FIU led, 13-10.
Rosa finished the match for the Golden Panthers with her 16th kill, allowing FIU to advance to the second round with a set- and match victory in the fifth, 15-11.
The `Canes came out sluggish in the opening set, falling to FIU on a 25-16 score.
Miami bounced back quickly in the second behind six kills from Carico and four more from Williamson to earn a 25-20 win.
The third set was an exciting as the others as Miami led 18-16 late, before the Golden Panthers cut into the lead to match the score, 21-all. Williamson collected a kill and Miami used an attack error by FIU to go back out, 23-21. Blocks from Maria Andersson and Ali Becker, as well as a service ace from Lizzie Hale, and Miami took the set-win, 25-22–taking a 2-1 advantage into the fourth set.
FIU was led on the night by four players in double figures for kills, including Yarimar Rosa with a team-high 16 kills. Olga Vergun and Jovana Bjelica added 15 kills apiece, and Andrea Lakovic staked 10. Rosa collected a double-double, in fact, adding a team-high 21 digs and three blocks. Vergun recorded a double-double as well with 10 digs, while Bjelica had 10 digs to match.
For Miami, All-ACC Team member Lane Carico had a match-high 21 kills and added 15 digs and two service aces for her 20th double-double of the year. Williamson posted a career-high tying 19 kills and two assisted blocks.
For Carico, the 21 kills was a school record for kills in a postseason match, surpassing Elizabeth Tyson who had 19 kills against Wisconsin in 2002.
Playing in her final match for Miami, All-ACC member Cassie Loessberg collected a match-high 24 digs and a service ace. The United States Marine Corps Reserve also had an assist for the Hurricanes.
Setter Sundararaman put up 47 assists, and Andersson claimed 19 digs, three assists and a service ace in her last match for UM.
For more information on the University of Miami Volleyball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes Volleyball program.
