Women's Volleyball Defeat NC State in Four Games
Oct. 7, 2006
CORAL GABLES, FLa. – The University of Miami women’s volleyball team picked up their third ACC win when they defeated NC State, 3-1 (27-30, 30-18, 30-19, 30-16), ), Friday night at the Knight Sports Complex. The Hurricanes are now 6-9 overall and improved to 3-3 in ACC play.
Senior Jill Robinson led all players with a match high of 39 assists and 12 digs, as she posted her seventh double-double for the season.
“Jill had a tremendous match, and it was great to see her involved with the offense”, said head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch. “I was please to see Sara attack well for us on offense.”
Sara Duncan led all players with a match high of 14 kills. Junior Ciara Michel posted 10 kills with a .500 hitting percentage, while senior Frannie Savage contributed nine kills, eight defensive digs, and a service ace.
The Hurricanes out-dug NC State, 71-48, with four players reaching double figures in digs, and posted a .257 hitting percentage to NC State’s .056. The team totaled 12 blocks led by Robinson and Michel with four a piece.
Cassie Loessberg led the defensive effort with a season high 18 digs, while Lauren Rinderknecht (14), and Michelle Bruin (11) all recorded double figures.
NC State wasted no time taking a 14-8 lead early in game one and took advantage of eight Miami attack errors in a 30-27 victory. The Wolfpack led by as much as seven points with the score at 20-13. The Hurricanes tried to keep up by put ting the score within five at 23-28. But could not close out the opener, as a kill by Jessica Williams gave the Wolfpack an early 1-0 win.
In game two, NC State got out to an early lead once again at 8-4. But the Hurricanes responded with three back-to-back kills by Michel, Savage, and Robinson to put the game within one. The game began to shift gears when an attack error by NC State’s Keshia Raibon caused the game to tie at 13-all. Another attack error by NC State game Miami their first lead in the match at 14-13. From there, the Hurricanes coasted on a seven-point scoring drive. Both teams posted two more points apiece to bring the Canes ahead of the Wolfpack, 22-15. Miami went on their second scoring drive, dropping an additional six points. A bad set by Janey Yancey gave Miami the match-point, 29-16. NC State tacked on two more points as a result of a kill by Kelley Blackwood along with an attack error by Lauren Rinderknecht. But Rinderknecht finished out the game with a solid kill, as Miami tied the match heading into intermission.
The Hurricanes took command early in game three, racing out to a 15-8 lead and never trailed en route to a 30-19 victory. Sara Duncan led Miami with four kills, including one that brought the score up by as much as eight points giving the Hurricanes a comfortable 21-13 cushion, and caused the Wolfpack to take a timeout. The Hurricanes led by as many as 10 points, at 25-15 after a service error by Chrissy Zirpolo. Miami posted another 10 point lead with a match-point 29-19 after an Ashley Woods kill and cruised to an eleven-point victory to take a 2-1 lead.
In the finale, the Hurricanes got rolling offensively, hitting .290 to take the match away with a 30-16 victory. Ciara Michel led the charge with four kills, while Jill Robinson had a pair of kills, nine assists and four total blocks. A 6-0 run turned the lead into an 18-8 advantage. From there, the Hurricanes continued to build the lead and cruised to a match victory, and their third win over an ACC opponent.
The Hurricanes return to action when they host North Carolina Sunday at 1:00 pm in the Knight Sports Complex.
