Miami Volleyball Falls to Davidson, 3-2
Davidson, N.C. – (www.hurricanesports.com) – Miami Freshman JamieGrass had the first serve for Miami volleyball in 20 years as the Hurricanestook on the Davidson (NC) Wildcats in the Davidson Tournament on Friday, August31st. Senior KristiSprinkel had the distinction of recording the first kill for Miami. The Hurricanestook Davidson to five games but lost 3-2. (27-30, 30-12, 28-30, 32-30 and 15-10.)
NCAA volleyball adopted rally scoring for the 2001 season. No matter which teamserves, the team that wins the rally scores a point. In a five-game match, gamesone through four are won when one team reaches 30 points and leads by two points.A deciding game (game 5) is won when one team reaches 15 points and leads by twopoints.
The two-time defending Southern Conference champion Wildcats took the first game27-30 but Miami displayed remarkable poise for a young club and battled back towin the second, 30-12.
The third game went down to the wire with host-school Davidson winning 28-30.In the fourth, with Miami and Davidson deadlocked at 30-30, Elizabeth “Biz” Tysonput the game away for the Hurricanes with two clutch kills.
In the fifth (and deciding) game, Davidson won the match with a 10-15 victory.
Junior outside hitter MarcelaGamarra led the team with 19 kills (.342) while freshman setter JamieGrass recorded a team-high 59 assists. The other four starters included seniorKristiSprinkel (13 kills) and three freshmen: ValeriaTipiana (11 kills, 3 assists), SandraTotten (11 kills, 3 assists) and ElizabethTyson (16 kills, 2 assists).
Miami had a .251 kill percentage to Davidson’s .165. The Hurricanes had 14 morekills than the Wildcats (74 to 60) and 16 more assists (68 to 52). Both teamsrecorded 11 blocks.
Miami (0-1) will play Coastal Carolina (0-1) at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September1st. The Hurricanes face American (1-0) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon to completeits tournament schedule.
Miami opens at home against Long Island at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 7th atthe Knight Sports Complex on the UM campus. The Hurricanes host Long Island, Woffordand Alabama-Birmingham in the inaugural Hurricane Invitational.
For ticket information for other Hurricane volleyball home matches, contact theUM Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES.
