University of Houston
New Orleans
Volleyball Comes Up Short In Season Opener
8/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 28, 2009
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston volleyball dropped its season opener 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 21-25, 15-25) against the New Orleans Privateers in their opening match of the Flo Hyman Invitational Friday afternoon at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
Despite the loss, two Cougars recorded double-digit kills. Kinsey Cave and Amanda Carson each recorded 12 kills, setting a career-high for Carson. Tara Roenicke led with a game-high 32 assists, while Erin Rice added a game-high five blocks.
In addition, three Cougars, Tara Roenicke, Marluci Toazzi and Ashley Applequist, each made their first career start.
Houston jumped out to a strong start on the season winning the first set against the Privateers. Three consecutive kills by Cougar hitters and a block assist by Rice and Tara Roenicke gave Houston the 4-0 opening advantage. UH would go on to build a 10 point lead, 21-11, late in the contest and they would go on take the set, 25-16.
The second set was a much different story. The Cougars jumped out to an early lead, again, but it would be the Privateers that would get the win. After back-to-back kills from Rice, New Orleans mounted a comeback and pulled to within two, 12-10, scoring four of five points. The Cougars pulled away once again before UNO trailed by just one point, 14-13, forcing head coach Bill Walton to call his first timeout. Out of the break the Privateers scored four straight points to take a 17-14 lead, forcing another Cougar timeout. Houston battled back to within one, 22-21, off a service ace from Ashley Applequist but UNO evened the match at two sets apiece, winning 27-25.
After falling behind for much of the third set, Houston took a late 17-16 lead that would be short lived. UNO answered on the next point and Houston would only get as close as a 19-19 tie before dropping the third set, 25-21.
It was all UNO in the fourth set as they took an 8-4 lead before Walton tried to regroup his squad with a timeout. Out of the break the Privateers continued to command the game, jumping ahead by seven points, 14-7, before a second Houston timeout. Off the bench, the Privateers would make sure they took the season opener, winning 25-15.
Houston will be back on the court at 7:30 p.m. against Baylor, following a 5:30 p.m. match-up of Southeastern Louisiana and Indiana.
