University of Delaware Athletics
A Strong Start Gives the University of Delaware Volleyball Team a 3-0 Sweep Over Kent State
9/16/2011 6:46:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - - Chelsea Lawrence led the University of Delaware volleyball team with a .412 hitting percentage and helped hold Kent State to a .066 attack mark in the Blue Hens' straight set victory in the opening round of the Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament at Fitzgerald Fieldhouse Friday night.
Set scores for the match were 25-13, 25-13 and 25-20.
Lawrence (above, at left) took 17 swings in the three matches, knocking nine to the floor while only committing two errors for the match high attack percentage. As a team, Delaware (4-8) hit .208 for the match.
Alissa Alker led the evenly spread offense with 10 kills, the only player with double-digit kills on the night. Combined with Lawrence's nine, and Kim Stewart's nine, the Blue Hens had 40 kills to the Golden Flashes (7-7) 24.
Renee Tomko facilitated the offense, passing out 33 assists. She also contributed three aces and helped the defense with six digs and one block assist. Cara Rosehill has a match-high 13 digs to lead the backline for the Blue Hens. Katie Hank contributed eight digs while Stewart added six.
Alker had another productive night in the stat book, adding five service aces, six digs and four block assists. The junior hit .250 while making only four errors on 24 swings.
Delaware jumped out to a quick lead in the first set and never looked back. Starting with a kill by Lawrence, the Blue Hens rattled off eight straight points to take a commanding 13-4 lead. Another 7-2 run made it 20-7. The score settled at 25-13.
The Blue Hens used another run to take the second set, but at the back end of the game this time around. Trailing 12-11, kills by Karina Evans and Alker contributed to a four-point run for Delaware to take the lead. After a Kent State point, the Hens rattled off 10 consecutive points, capped by a block from Evans and Alker for the 25-13 win.
The third set was a closer affair as Delaware didn't take its last lead until 19-18. Three straight points gave UD a 21-18 lead before Kent State crawled back to 22-20. Alker started a three-point run with a kill and a bad set by Tin Aderemi-Ibitola ended the match in favor of the Blue Hens.
Kathy Krupa led the Flashes with seven kills while Abbie Fabo dished out 22 helpers to pace the offense. Hannah Herc and Maigan Larsen led the defense with eight digs each.
Delaware returns to the court on Saturday as the Hens take on New Mexico at 1 p.m. before battling host Pittsburgh in the nightcap at 7 p.m. The Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament is the final non-conference tournament of the season for the Blue Hens.
AGATE:
Delaware def. Kent State, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, and 25-20)
Delaware (kills-assists-digs): Hank (5-1-8); Tomko (1-33-6); Stewart (9-1-7); Alker (10-1-6); Lawrence (9-0-1); Evans (6-0-1); Rosehill (0-1-13); Reigel (0-0-2).
Kent State: Herc (3-1-8); Larsen (6-0-8); Reikow (6-0-0); Krupa (7-0-0); Buczek (0-0-0); Engleman (1-0-4); Zeigler (0-0-3); Aderemi-Ibitola (1-0-1); Grdina (0-0-5); Fabo (0-22-6).
Total Team Blocks: Delaware 7, Kent State 6.5
