Volleyball Extends Win Streak with 3-1 Win over Villanova
Sept. 12, 2008
San Francisco, Calif. – Genny Mayhew registered a match-high 19 kills and Angelica Ellis added 10 to lead the University of Miami volleyball team to a 3-1 victory (21-25, 25-16, 31-29, 25-22) over Villanova in the opening match of the Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational in San Francisco, Calif.
After dropping the first set (25-21), the Hurricanes bounced back with an emphatic 25-16 win in the second set. Miami (8-0) used five kills from senior Angelica Ellis and nine attack errors from the Wildcats to cruise in the second set.
In the third set, Villanova (4-4) held a slim 15-11 advantage halfway through with kills from Whitney Harrington and teammate Dana Tartazky. After a kill from the Hurricanes duo of Mayhew and senior Ashley Woods, the Wildcats were forced to call a timeout as the Orange and Green cut the lead to 19-18.
UM would quickly grab their first lead of the set following blocks from Woods and Ellis, as well as another kill from Woods.
Villanova’s Tartazky was determined to keep the Wildcats close as she recorded three kills down the stretch that helped her team collect eight (8) ties from points 22 through 29. The `Canes finally broke away from their competitors when a kill from Woods and a service error from the Wildcats to push the set win to 31-29.
In the fourth set, the Hurricanes never trailed en route to their 10th consecutive win–eighth of the season. Despite having one of their worst hitting percentages of the year for a set (18 kills / seven errors), Miami had another great performance from junior Mayhew. She had eight kills in the set for the Orange and Green while teammate Lici McGee added four kills of her own.
For the Wildcats of Villanova, they were led on the night by Morgan Petkovich with 18 kills and Tartazky pitched in 15. Setter Chelsea Graman helped with 45 assists while libero Amy Gulyas had a match-high 18 digs.
Miami got a great performance tonight from Mayhew who posted a season-high 19 kills and five digs. Ellis stepped into double-digit kills for the first time this season with 10, while teammate Ellis tied a season-high with seven kills. Setter Katie Gallagher stepped up the offense as well with a season-high 48 assists, and Woods added three blocks.
Freshman Lane Carico added seven kills and four blocks (assisted). Junior libero Cassie Loessberg, in her return home to the northern part of California, pitched in on defense with a team-high 17 digs.
Miami now faces Sacramento State for the second time this season on Saturday at 7 p.m. (EST). The Hurricanes defeated the Hornets earlier in the year, 3-0 in the Century Tel Premier Tournament at San Marcos, Texas.
Live stats for the match will be available through Game Tracker at www.hurricanesports.com.
