Volleyball Concludes Alumni Match on High Note
Aug. 22, 2009
Coral Gables, Fla. – The 2009 University of Miami volleyball team swept the alumni team, 5-0, Saturday afternoon in the Fifth Annual Alumni Match at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla. The match was played to five sets, bypassing of the “best-of-five” NCAA format.
Under the direction of ninth-year head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch, the 2009 Hurricanes volleyball team took to the court for the first time Saturday afternoon as they took on several former players from the UM program, including recent graduates Ashley Woods, Angelica Ellis and Bridget Bomhack.
The 2009 Hurricanes took the match-sweep on scores of 25-8, 25-16, 25-21, 25-12 and 15-12.
UM was led by three players touching double-digits in kills, including sophomore Ali Becker (Katy, Texas) leading all players with a match-high 19. Behind Becker were Lici McGee (Warr Acres, Ok.) with 15 kills, as well as Lane Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) with 13 of her own.
The varsity team opened the match hitting a .407 clip (13-2-27) in the opening set, including running out to a 14-1 advantage. During the run, senior libero Cassie Loessberg (Sacramento, Calif.) served up four aces to stretch the lead.
The match became increasingly tight in the third set as the alumni team took an early 7-3 advantage as former players Angelica Ellis and Leyre Santaella Sante combined for four kills in the run for the alumni.
Trailing 12-9 in the set following blocks from alumni players Ashley Woods and Francheska Savage, the varsity team began a 6-1 run to take the lead (15-13) as Genny Mayhew (Clovis, Calif.) collected two kills in the run. The varsity team went on to take the win, 25-21, as Lane Carico closed the match with one of her set-high four kills for the `Canes.
The 2009 `Canes took the 25-12 win in the fourth set before being pushed once again by the alumni team in the final set – played to 15 points.
With the set tied at 10, Becker collected a kill to put the varsity team up, while blocks from freshmen Jenna Berkley and Nrithya Sundararaman edged the 2009 `Canes out to a 12-10 lead. A service ace from Sundararaman ended the match, 15-12.
Sundararaman ended the match with a match-high 54 assists, while Bomhack countered with 29 assists for the alumni.
The alumni team got solid production from several former players, led by Santaella Sante with a team-high nine kills. Behind her were Ellis and Savage collecting seven kills apiece.
The 2009 season officially gets underway Aug. 28 when UM hosts the Hurricane Invitational (Aug. 28-29) at the Knight Sports Complex. This year’s invitational field includes Florida Gulf Coast, USF and Prairie View A&M.
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.
