Hurricanes Sweep Eagles in ACC Opener
Sept. 23, 2005
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The University of Miami volleyball team swept host Boston College, 3-0 (30-24, 30-23, 32-30), in its Atlantic Coast Conference season opener Friday evening at the Power Gym.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
With the win, the Hurricanes improve to 6-3 overall and 1-0 in ACC play. The Eagles fall to 5-6 overall and 0-2 in their inaugural season in the ACC.
Senior outside hitter Karla Johnson registered her fourth double-double of the season after knocking in a match-high 19 kills and a career-high 18 digs to go along with three total blocks (2BS, 1BA). Junior setter Jill Robinson also tallied her fourth double-double after dishing out 41 assists and recording 12 digs.
Redshirt-sophomore middle blocker Ciara Michel went 7-for-11 for a match-high and Miami season-best .636 hitting percentage.
The Hurricanes never trailed in the first game and led by as many as eight points, to take a 30-24 victory.
Game two saw much of the same, as the Hurricanes jumped to an early lead that they never surrendered. With the score at 26-15 in favor of Miami, the Eagles reeled off nine-straight points but could not solve the Hurricanes, who used back-to-back kills by Johnson and Robinson and forced a BC attacking error to put the game away, 30-23 and take a 2-0 match lead.
The Eagles scored first to start game three but four consecutive Miami kills put the Hurricanes up 11-5. BC then went on a 10-to-2 run to tie the score at 19-all. The Hurricanes regained a two point lead but the Eagles would not go quietly as they tied the score at 25-all and once again at 29. Down 30-29, Miami looked to Johnson who knocked down three back-to-back kills to give Miami a 32-30 win and the match victory.
The Hurricanes held the Eagles to a .177 attacking percentage and led in mostly every statistical category including kills (56/44), assists (51/36) and digs (70/51). The dig total marks the first time that Miami has tallied at least 70 digs since October of last season when they registered 75 against North Carolina.
Miami returns to action Sunday afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. match-up against Maryland.
