University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
1-0
Southern Illinois
0-1
Delaware Splits Pair of Five-Set Matches on First Day of Season-Opening UCF Invitational
8/28/2015 2:34:00 PM | Volleyball
• UD-SIU Boxscore
• UD-UCF Boxscore
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The University of Delaware volleyball team opened its 2015 season with a pair of five-set thrillers on Friday at the UCF Invitational, falling to Southern Illinois before rebounding to defeat the host Knights.
The Salukis took the Blue Hens' season opener by set scores of 18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 17-25, 21-19, as the fifth set tied for the longest in UD history. Delaware then rallied from a set down to post a 27-25, 22-25, 16-25, 25-17, 15-8 victory over UCF.
Blue Hen junior Autumn Jenkins led the Blue Hens in kills during both matches, including a career-high 24 against Southern Illinois. Senior Katie Hillman added 26 kills on the day and now has 1,007 for her career, as she became the 18th player in UD history to surpass the 1,000-kills mark.
Chandler Bryant contributed 15 kills during the day, while Alexa Swann had 10 kills against the Salukis and a career-high nine blocks vs. UCF. Julia Anderson handed out 96 assists during the two matches, while Ariel Shonk made 45 digs and Taylor Hollingsworth added 25 of her own.
Bonnie Kenny. “Our execution at critical times was solid. The difference in the UCF win was blocking, but the overall team effort for the day was phenomenal. Congrats to Katie Hillman on her 1,000th kill.”After UD and Southern Illinois were knotted through four sets, the dramatic fifth set featured 15 ties, with neither team leading by more than two points during the stanza. Delaware trailed 13-11 but rallied to tie the match on consecutive kills by Hillman and Bryant, and then earned a match point following a Hillman ace. The Blue Hens had three match points but could not put the match away, before Southern Illinois eventually won it on consecutive kills from Andrea Estrada.
Delaware trailed 25-24 late in the first set against UCF, before winning three consecutive points to take the set. The Knights responded by winning the next two sets, but the Blue Hens knotted the contest with a 25-17 victory in the fourth. UD then won nine of 12 points to take an 11-5 margin in the deciding set, putting the match away on a kill from Swann.
Match Notes:
• UD's 64 kills vs. SIU were the most since the Blue Hens had 65 in last year's season opener vs. Albany
• UD also played 40 fifth set points during a 21-19 win at William & Mary on Oct. 11, 2013
• Delaware held a commanding 14-4 block advantage over UCF
• UCF advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament and is the AAC favorite this year
• The Blue Hens and Knights faced each other for the first time in school history
• 14 of the 16 players on the UD roster saw action during the day
• Delaware concludes play at the invitational on Saturday vs. Northern Colorado at 4:30 p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
