Miami Overtakes Florida Atlantic, 3-0

Oct. 29, 2003

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – Senior outside hitter Leyre Santaella Sante (San Juan, Puerto Rico) posted a match-high 18 kills to lead the University of Miami volleyball team to a 3-0 (30-18, 30-25, 30-23) shutout over in-state rival Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on Wednesday night.

The Hurricanes (18-6) overpowered FAU (11-11) in the first frame, out hitting the Owls .432 to .097 to take the first game, 30-18.

UM struggled in the second game, hitting just .163, but edged out FAU, 30-25.

The Hurricanes would fall, 5-2 early in the third game before taking the lead, 8-7 on a block by sophomore middle blocker Karla Johnson (Houston, Texas) and junior outside hitter Elizabeth Tyson (Jacksonville, Fla.). Miami would pull away from the Owls, going on a 6-0 run, including five consecutive service points by sophomore Kaitlin Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa.), to take the lead, 20-14 and would eventually take the game, 30-23 to win their second consecutive match.

Kozak set a career-high to lead Miami with 11 digs and Santaella Sante posted a .282 hitting percentage on 18 kills and added three digs for the Hurricanes. Junior setter Mallorey James (Tucson, Ariz.) turned in 41 assists and eight digs in the win. Tyson contributed with 12 kills and six digs and redshirt freshman Francheska Savage (Ft. Myers, Fla.) led the Hurricanes with a .500 hitting percentage with eight kills on 14 attempts to go along with three total blocks.

Miami will return to Coral Gables to host BIG EAST foe West Virginia on Friday, Oct. 31 at the Knight Sports Complex at 7 p.m.

Friday’s match with the Mountaineers can be heard live on WVUM 90.5 FM and will be broadcast live on hurricanesports.com.