Carico's 30 Kills Sparks Miami Past Georgia Tech, 3-2

Oct. 4, 2009

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Coral Gables, Fla. – Sophomore Lane Carico tallied a match-high 30 kills to help lead the University of Miami past visiting Georgia Tech, 3-2 (25-22, 24-26, 31-29, 25-27, 15-9), Sunday afternoon in an ACC volleyball matchup held at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla.

Two days after suffering its third heartbreaking five-set defeat of the season, Miami (9-6, 2-3 ACC) had to try and bounce back against ACC-unbeaten Georgia Tech on Sunday. The outcome was yet another five-set thriller–this time going in the direction of the Hurricanes.

UM jumped out to a quick 10-4 advantage in the opening set behind the play of Christine Williamson and Lici McGee. A kill from McGee, one of five for the Warr Acres, Okla. native in the opening set, provided the `Canes with the six-point edge early-on. Williamson’s kill seven points later gave the `Canes a 13-8 advantage.

Georgia Tech (10-5, 4-1 ACC) came roaring back behind three of Miami’s 10 attack errors in the opener, earning a 13-13 tie. The Yellow Jackets took their second lead of the set with a kill from Monique Mead, giving Georgia Tech the 14-13 lead.

Following five more ties and three lead changes, McGee stamped back-to-back kills to push Miami ahead, 20-18. With UM serving at 23-22, Georgia Tech collected blocks from Asia Stawicka and Mary Ashley Tippins to cut the Hurricanes lead at 23-22. The `Canes earned the 25-22 win with an attack error charged to GT, as well as a kill from senior outside hitter Maria Andersson.

Neither team hit exceptionally well in the opener as UM hit just .085 percent (14-10-47), and Georgia Tech managing just .027 percent (9-8-37).

In the second, UM led late, 20-18, following an attack error charged to the Yellow Jackets. Lane Carico registered 11 kills in the set, including one that broke a 20-all tie to give UM the one-point edge. UM served for set-point at 24-22 after a kill from Williamson.

However, Georgia Tech stormed back with a kill from Chrissy DeMichelis and Mead, tying the match at 24-24. The Yellow Jackets earned the win, 26-24, on kills from Bailey Hunter and Brittany Roderick.

Georgia Tech went up 3-0 in the third set before Miami used a 4-0 run to take the lead, assisted by blocks from Andersson and Ali Becker. Miami later used a kill from Ariell Cooke to vault to a 16-10 advantage. However, Georgia Tech would fight back to tie the set, 21-21 with a kill from Susan Carlson and strong play from Mead.

There would be 13 ties and seven lead changes in the set.

With UM trailing 28-27, Georgia Tech was charged with a service error that tied the set, before once again serving for set-point, 29-28. A kill from Williamson put UM back in a tie at 29-all, while blocks from Becker and setter Nrithya Sundararaman gave the `Canes the lead, 30-29.

An attack error charged to GT was how the set ended, giving UM the 31-29 edge, and the 2-1 lead in the match.

In the fourth set, Georgia Tech’s Mead posted one of her four kills in the set to tie the score at 24-24 as UM’s Lizzie Hale served for set-point moments prior. A kill from Carico, and an attack error on the `Canes, tied the set again at 25-25.

GT took the lead and the set-point, 27-25, courtesy consecutive attack errors on Miami.

With Miami playing its third-straight Sunday of five-set volleyball, and the fourth in the last five matches, McGee and Carico put the `Canes on their back to try and end the five-set jinx that had previously haunted the Hurricanes.

Carico broke open a 3-3 tie with consecutive kills, while later combining with McGee for a block to stretch the UM lead at 8-4 when the two teams traded sides of the court.

McGee recorded two kills to widen the UM lead, 10-4, before the Yellow Jackets’ DeMichelis posted a kill to decrease the UM lead, 12-7. An attack error called on UM would bring GT to within 12-8 before UM head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch called timeout.

Two costly errors on Georgia Tech pushed Miami’s lead to 14-8, and a kill from Ali Becker sealed the win for the Hurricanes, 15-9.

With the win, Miami ended Georgia Tec’s unbeaten streak in the ACC, and leaves Duke as the only undefeated team in the ACC.

Georgia Tech was led on the day by Mead’s 18 kills, also posting 10 digs for the double-double effort. DeMichelis added 17 kills, and teammates Roderick (12) and Hunter (10) also touched double-digits in kills. Libero Jordan McCullers led the defensive efforts for the Yellow Jackets with a team-high 20 digs.

Miami was paced by Carico’s 30 kills, now giving her back-to-back matches with at least 30 kills. She becomes just the second player in UM history to eclipse 30 kills in two or more matches in her career, joining Karla Johnson in that feat. Carico also had 16 digs for her seventh double-double of the year–and her fifth consecutive.

Sophomore Christine Williamson registered a career-high 14 kills and one solo block. Also hitting double-digits in kills was McGee with 12. McGee would add six blocks (five assists) in the process.

Libero Cassie Loessberg picked up a match-high 32 digs, giving her five matches in her career with 30-or more digs. That’s tops in school history for that category. Setter Sundararaman led the offense with 54 assists and nine digs, adding five blocks (four assists).

The Hurricanes will be back in action Thursday, Oct. 8 when they travel to Wake Forest for a 7 p.m. contest in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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.