University of Houston
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
<b> UTEP
Volleyball Slips Past UTEP
9/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 29, 2006
UTEP at Houston Box Score (PDF)
Download Free Acrobat Reader
HOUSTON - Krystal Schulle passed out 46 assists that fueled three Cougars to double-digit kill performances as the University of Houston volleyball slipped past UTEP (30-24, 30-28, 30-25) in a Conference USA match Friday evening at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
Kelly McAnelly led the Cougars (11-7, 2-1 C-USA), powering home a team-best 13 kills and stretched out for a match-high 23 digs.
"I was most impressed with Kelly's defense tonight," head coach Bill Walton said. "She really played excellent middle back. She wasn't allowed to play defense when she first came here, but she dug every ball in that first game."
It also was the first time that McAnelly squared off against her younger sister, Casey, who plays for UTEP.
"The older sibling always has to emerge in those situations," McAnelly said. "There was a little extra motivation on the court. I think that's why I got off to a quick start."
Becca Sartori crushed 12 kills on a .346 attack percentage and recorded four blocks. Justine Farmer corralled her team-leading 12th double-double with 12 kills and 21 digs.
Ashley Calhoun notched 17 digs on the back row, while Erin Rice stopped three shots on the front row. UTEP was paced by 19 kills from Christie Murphy.
Houston's defense set the tone early, forcing six UTEP (5-11, 1-2 C-USA) attack errors to build a 19-9 opening game advantage. The Cougars also rode McAnelly's right arm to eight kills and 11 digs as Houston took game one, 30-24.
The Cougars continued to put the pressure on, jumping out to a 18-7 spread to start game two. UTEP charged back and caught Houston at 28-28. After a Houston timeout, Rice joined Kinsey Cave for a key block on Murphy to put the Cougars ahead, 29-28. UTEP went back to Murphy, but the Cougars forced another attack to close out the game, 30-28.
"It shouldn't have gotten that close," McAnelly said. "Our sideout efficiency broke down in game two but we were able to get it back when it counted most."
Game three was a tight affair that featured 11 ties and six lead changes. The Miners grabbed a 23-21 lead. After a Houston timeout, the Cougars surged ahead 26-23 with five consecutive points capped by a Farmer ace. Another service ace from Millicent Martin put Houston in the win column with a 30-25 victory.
"I have a lot of confidence in our team," Sartori said. "Everybody wants to win and you can feel it out there. Our team is very comfortable at home. We didn't play our best but good teams find a way to win when they aren't playing their best."
Houston improved to 6-0 at home but will face a stern challenge Sunday afternoon from Tulane (7-5, 3-0 C-USA) to conclude the weekend.
"We know that Sarah Radosevic is going to get 60-70 swings just like Murphy from UTEP got tonight," Walton said. "If we can hold Radosevic to around .250, we'll be doing good. We're going to have to negate her jump serve and her back row attacking to be successful."
First serve against the Green Wave is slated for 1pm at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
Cougar Notes
Houston was won five of its six all-time meetings with UTEP ... The Cougars improve to 6-0 at home this season and have won 10 straight at the Athletics/Alumni Center dating back to last season ... Seven of the 10 wins during the streak have come via the sweep ... Houston has won seven of nine matches that have gone three games this season ... The Cougars have won 35 of its last 40 matches when winning game two dating back to November 2003 ... Houston is 10-2 when winning game two this season ... Ashley Calhoun has reeled in double-digit digs in 11 of her 16 starts at libero ... The Wisconsin native has served at least one ace in 11 of 18 matches ... She has fired in an ace in all three C-USA appearances ... Kinsey Cave returned to the lineup for the first time since Sept. 9 ... Cave recorded a kill and a block in two games of limited action ... Erin Rice has recorded a block in seven consecutive matches ... It was the fifth time in seven starts that Krystal Schulle has eclipsed the 40-assist mark ... Three of the five outings have come during three-game sweeps ... With 13 kills, Kelly McAnelly has 1,263 career kills and is 73 kills away from Emily Leffers (1993-94, 96-97) for the No. 4 hole ... McAnelly also is 17 kills away from moving into the Top 30 of Conference USA history ... With 34 attempts, McAnelly is 714 swings away from Debbie Vokes (1994-98) for the top spot in that category ... Becca Sartori has reached double-digit kills in 48 of her last 63 matches dating back to October 2004 ... She has powered home double-digit kills in five consecutive matches ... With 12 kills, Sartori now has 1,183 kills and is 11 away from Karen Bell (1988-91) for the No. 7 hole ... She also pulls within 97 kills from reaching the Top 30 in the C-USA record book ... Sartori added three block assists and is four shy from matching Latisha Charles (1986-87, 1989-90) for No. 7 all-time ... She is two total blocks from moving into the Top 30 of Conference USA history and 15 total blocks shy of reaching Karina Faber (1990-92) for the No. 8 slot in program history ... Justine Farmer has powered home double-digit kills in 21 of her last 23 matches she has played in dating back to last season ... Farmer has recorded a double-double in seven of her last 10 outings ... It was the fifth time that Farmer has sprawled out for at least 20 digs.
