Carico, Mayhew Spark Miami Volleyball Past Clemson, 3-2

Nov. 16, 2008

Box Score | Miami 3, Clemson 2

Coral Gables, Fla. – Freshman Lane Carico had 20 kills on Sunday as the University of Miami Hurricanes outlasted the Clemson Tigers, 3-2 (29-27, 10-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-6), in an ACC match at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla. UM has now won four matches in a row.

In a celebration of seniors for Miami (24-5, 12-5 ACC), the Hurricanes were determined to try and send Bridget Bomhack, Angelica Ellis and Ashley Woods off with a win in their final home match for the Orange and Green. Bomhack sparked the Hurricanes off the bench with eight kills and a hitting percentage of .316 in the match.

In a battle of two teams trying to get atop the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) standings, Clemson (19-9, 11-6 ACC) hit .308 in the match, including .500 (19-1-36) in the second set. Danielle Hepburn, third in the league in hitting percentage, hit a blistering .462 (21-3-39), adding six blocks and five digs.

With Miami taking the first set, 29-27, Clemson rallied in the second to take a decisive 25-10 advantage to knot the match, 1-1. The Tigers hit .500 (19-1-36) in the second set, holding the `Canes to just .111 (7-3-36) in the frame.

After the intermission, UM bounced back to earn their highest hitting percentage in the match with a .406 clip (16-3-32) in the third set.

With the `Canes up 15-14 in the frame, senior Bomhack put down two kills and Carico added another to surge UM out to a 19-14 lead. They would close-out the frame with a 5-2 run led by kills from senior Ellis and Mayhew for the 25-18 win.

The fourth set would be all Tigers, however, as they hit a dominant .459 clip (18-1-37) to quickly run out to an 11-4 advantage. In that stretch, Clemson’s Hepburn had three kills while teammate Abbott collected one.

After clawing back to within 14-8, UM couldn’t stop Proctor down the stretch as she picked up four of her 17 kills in the match for four of the Tigers’ final nine points in the frame. Clemson earned the 25-18 win in the set to force a fifth and final set.

For both Clemson and Miami, this was the second consecutive match the two teams had played a full five-set match. UM earned a 3-2 win over Georgia Tech on Friday night, while the Tigers were downed in five by Florida State.

In the deciding set, Miami jumped out to a 4-2 lead behind three kills from Carico before Clemson called timeout.

That, however, didn’t slow the Hurricanes offense as setter Katie Gallagher collected one of six kills in the match with a turnaround attack at the net to put UM up, 6-2. An attack error by the `Canes ended the 5-1 scoring rally before a Gallagher block put the `Canes up, 7-3.

Leading 7-5, UM went on another furious 6-0 run charged by kills from Gallagher, Mayhew and Lici McGee. Gallagher’s service ace put the `Canes up, 13-5.

An attack error by the Tigers allowed Mayhew to serve-out a final ace for the `Canes and give UM head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch and the `Canes just their second win over the Tigers in school history. For the eighth-year head coach, this was also the second win against the Tigers in Coral Gables, as well as the first win over their South Carolina counterparts in six attempts.

Clemson was led on the day by Hepburn’s 21-kill performance, not to outdo teammate Abbott’s 20 kills and 14 digs. Hepburn also added six blocks (four assists), while Lia Proctor punched in 17 kills and 16 digs.

Setter Kelsey Murphy, the league’s top assist producer, had a match-high 63 assists, and libero Didem Ege added a match-high 21 digs in a great defensive effort.

In their final home match for the `Canes, seniors Bomhack, Ellis and Woods all had a stellar day for the Orange and Green. Bomhack registered eight kills, three blocks (two assists) and a dig, and Ellis had seven kills, three digs, a service ace and an assisted block. Meanwhile, Woods recorded three kills for her cause.

UM was led on the day by Carico’s 20 kills, the third time this year the Manhattan Beach, Calif. native has eclipsed the 20-kill plateau. Added her 19 digs, and she registered the 14th double-double of the season, and her second consecutive. Carico also added two service aces.

Genny Mayhew added 13 kills and 13 digs, respectively, to knot her 12th double-double of the year, and her second consecutive as well. Ariell Cooke helped out with six kills and Gallagher pitched in 56 assists and nine digs with two blocks (one solo).

Junior libero/defensive specialist Cassie Loessberg got low for a team-high 20 digs, the 10th time this season she’s collected 20-or more digs. It was also consecutive matches accomplishing the feat after snagging 23 two days prior against Georgia Tech.

The `Canes have now eclipsed their best ACC win total with 12, and have produced the most wins in a season since their Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament back in 2002 (27).

Miami now has a chance to stake claim as a leader in the ACC standings next weekend with a huge showdown with the University of North Carolina on the road in Chapel Hill on Thursday, Nov. 20. After that, they travel to N.C. State on Nov. 21.