University of Houston
NORTHWESTERN STATE
Home Stand Begins With A Win
10/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 26, 2004
HOUSTON - Hosting Northwestern State in the first of the final six home games for the Houston volleyball team, the Cougars mauled the Demons in four games at the Athletics/Alumni Center on Tuesday night.
The victory came with three Cougars postingdouble-doubles, and allowing Houston to snap a four-game skid with strong performances by the entire Cougar team.
It has been 30 years since the two teams last met, dating back to the inaugural season of Cougar volleyball in 1974. That year the two teams faced off twice with Houston sweeping both matches 2-0.
Largely behind the play of senior Loure Dews, juniors Kariny Ritter and Jennifer Hohl, and sophomore Kelly McAnelly, Houston improved to 3-0 all-time against NSU while improving this season's mark to 5-16 heading into back-to-back conference matches this weekend.
Dews equaled her career-best mark for kills in a match, leading all players with 23 throw-downs on 38 attempts for a hitting percentage of .500.
Ritter, Hohl and McAnelly each recorded double-doubles on the evening as Ritter hit .256 with 18 kills and 12 digs, Hohl dished out 50 assists while picking up 11 digs, and McAnelly hit .241 with 22 kills and 12 digs for her ninth double-double of the year.
As a team, Houston posted its second highest kill total of the season with 76 against NSU, and recorded the team's best hitting percentage outing in a four-game match with a .295 performance.
Defensively the Cougars were active all night as well. Sophomore Becca Sartori led all players with a season high six blocks, junior Jaci Gonzalez had a team high 15 digs and Hohl posted a career best four block assists in the match.
In Game 1 the Cougars and Demons both came out with intensity. Using a 6-0 run to come from behind at 11-14, the Cougars went on top of the Demons 17-14 and didn't look back. Houston closed out Game 1 with a 30-25 win.
Game 2 saw NSU jump out to a 4-0 lead over Houston. The Cougars struggled throughout the game to catch up and managed to get within one at 26-27, but the Demons held on to close out the match at 30-26, and sent the teams into the break tied up at one apiece.
Coming out of the break, Houston was fired up. Leading by as much as nine at 19-10, the Cougars quickly ended Game 3 in a 30-23 victory.
Once against Houston jumped on the Demons early in Game 4, going up 5-0 to begin the match and leading at 26-17 after a 7-0 midway through the game. Playing for match point, Dews smacked down her final kill of the night to close out the game at 30-21 and gave Houston a 3-1 victory.
