University of Houston
Tulane
Volleyball Drops Tulane, 3-2, in C-USA Home Opener
10/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 2, 2009
HOUSTON -- In their first match in front of a home crowd in more than a month, the University of Houston volleyball team needed five sets to decide their fate against Tulane Friday night at the Athletics/Alumni Center. The Cougars came away with a 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-13, 25-22, 15-7) win over the Green Wave to preserve improve to 14-0 in Conference USA home openers, dating back to 1996 in their first season of C-USA action.
Houston (5-13, 2-1 C-USA) was led by senior Kinsey Cave's 18 kills, which tied for a game-high. Sophomore Ingrida Zauere followed with a season-high tying 11 kills and eight digs. Freshman Tara Roenicke paced the Cougars with 49 assists and set a career-high with 18 digs. Junior Amanda Carson added 20 digs for her third-straight match with at least 20 digs and her fourth overall this season.
Cave led all players in the first set with five kills, en route to the Cougars 25-23 win to open the match. After giving up the first point to the visiting Green Wave, Houston went on to mount a 10-6 lead, forcing Tulane to call a timeout. Out of the break, the two teams battled tough, with Tulane knotting the score 19-19. But with the home crowd behind them, UH came away with the win, highlighted by back-to-back kills from freshman Chandace Tryon and Cave to close out the set.
Roles reversed in the second set, with Houston jumping on the board first followed by a 10-7 Tulane lead to answer the Cougars' start. The Green Wave's lead moved to five points, 14-9, forcing head coach Bill Walton to call his second timeout of the set. Out of the break, Tulane continued to pace the set before Houston was able to score back-to-back points to pull within one, 20-19. The Tulane bench called its first timeout of the set to regroup its team and they returned to the court to score the next five points for the win, 25-19.
Houston recorded the first four points of the third set before Tulane was able to get on the board, scoring the next three points to pull within one, 4-3. The Green Wave matched scores, 5-5, before taking the 6-5 lead. The two teams would then match points through much of the remainder of the set, forcing five tie scores. Tulane was then able to put together a 4-0 run to pull ahead, 14-10, forcing a Cougar timeout. Off the bench, the Green Wave scored four of the next five points to force Walton to call a second timeout. It was all Tulane from that point forward, as they would go on for the win, 25-13.
Trailing 2-1 in the match, the Cougars went into the fourth set needing a win to continue the match. Houston scored the opening two points to start the set but Tulane answered with two points of their own. The Cougars then went on to mount a seven-point lead, 15-8. The Green Wave would bounce back and pull within two, 24-22, but a kill by Tryon ended the comeback and gave Houston the win.
The Cougars would need a fifth set to decide the match for the fourth time this season and they would win for first time in convincing fashion. UH jumped out 8-5 when the teams switched courts and dominated play the rest of the way to take the win, 15-7. With the win, Houston improves to 1-3 in five set matches this season.
Houston will be back on the court Saturday evening for a 7 p.m. match against UTEP. Gametracker and live streaming video will be available for the match by going to the volleyball schedule page at www.UHCougars.com.
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