By David F.P. 9-28-08 [Modest 2008 UConn Volleyball Image Gallery]

Two days after facing Louisville in Gampel, the Connecticut Huskies were back in the friendly confines to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in another Big East contest.

Set 1

The Huskies pulled ahead to a 6-2 lead.In addition to some Cincinnati Errors, Jordan Kirk and Rebecca Murray combined on a block, Murray spiked through the Bearcat blockers, and Libero Jessica Isaac picked up a rare kill when her dig fell in on the defensive side following a miscue.Cincinnati scored early on off a Stephanie Niemer spike off a good set, and Kelsey Brandl sending a kill through the blockers.At the 6-2 mark, Cincinnati called a time out to regroup.

When play resumed Jessica Elley unleashed a spike off the Huskies and out of bounds.But UCnn9 responded when her attack bounced off the blockers and fell in front of them.Missy Harpenau scored a kill through the block to keep her team within 3. Teammate Elley then picked up an Ace to bring the Bearcats within 2, 7-5. The Huskies responded with 3 quick points. Devon Farrell delivered a spike from midcourt through the block, Annie Luhrsen had an Ace where her serve bounced off a dig attempt to the floor, and Chauntay Mickens came up with a block to put the lead at 10-5. Cincinnati scored a point to end the run, but a net error on that part kept the Connecticut lead at 5. Jessie Nevitt accepted a set from her team and quickly smashed it over for another Bearcat pint, but on the next play, the team would commit a net error.Isaac also had a great defensive save during the play to keep things alive for Connecticut.

Annie Fesl hit an attack one handed and sideways over for another visitor point, but Luhrsen hammered a smash from the net in response. An error on the home team’s part surrendered a point to the Bearcats, but Murray blasted a spike off the blockers to keep the lead still at 5, 14-9.

A big battle ensued on the next back and forth including great defensive saves by Luhrsen and Kate Seabaugh, and Mickens eventually crushed an attack through the block attempt.A UConn serve out of bounds gave a point back to the Bearcats, and the Bearcats pulled within 4 with a kill.Connecticut got back to 5 ahead when the visitors committed an error. The two sides continued to basically trade points, including a Nevitt kill, several errors, and Megan Frey and Lauren Lamberti combining on a block.When Nevitt blasted another spike off the defense it was 19-15, but an error by Cincinnati kept the deficit at 5, 20-15.

After the Bearcats spiked an attack out of bounds on the defense’s left, their coach called a time out.A Connecticut error when play resumed kept the home team lead at 5, but Connecticut scored 3 straight points. The first came off a big Kirk spike, Lamberti had an Ace when the defense’s dig failed, and on the next play Isaac came up with a good defensive play, the ball bounced to Luhrsen who did a backhand dig which flew over the net and dropped into a gap.It was now set point 24-16.Lindsey Peterson kept her team alive with a kill off the defense and way outside the lines, and the Huskies spiked an attack out of bounds to cut the deficit to 6, but it was still set point, and a net violation ended the match 25-16 for Connecticut.

Connecticut 1, Cincinnati 0.

Set 2

The two teams entered the second frame reaching a 7-7 tie.For Cincinnati points came from Nevitt’s precision spike just in bounds, another kill for her when she punched an attack into the defense’s right corner, Niemer smashed an attack off the defense and out of bounds, Nevitt struck again when a Connecticut dig sailed over the net and into her waiting hands, Brandl unleashed a huge spike, and along with a Connecticut error,Fesl also came up with an Ace.Connecticut scored when Kirk hit an attack into the defense’s middle gap. Mickens smashed the ball off the defense and out, Murray slammed one of the defense’s corner, UCon10 came up with another kill, Luhrsen got a good set and slammed it home, and Frey got a good set that she nailed over the net.

The back and forth continued to 13-13.The Bearcats scored off a Brandl and Elley combined block, Brandl hammering her attack over, another smash from her, a Elley kill just in bounds, an a Nevitt kill as well as a few Connecticut errors. The Huskies picked up points on some Bearcat errors as well Lamberti and Kirk shared a block, Kirk slammed one of the blockers, and Luhrsen picked up another kill.

Cincinnati took the lead when Harpenau knocked an Ace in front of the defenders. On the next volley, the ball flew up into the air in the middle of the net and Nevitt knocked it down for another point. The Huskies called a time out, but when play resumed Harpenau placed a serve just in bounds for another Ace.

Mickens hammered one of the block to get her team back within 2, but Nevitt spiked through the blockers to end a long back and forth.A Bearcat error brought the lead back to 2, but Niemer tapped the ball over to pick up another point.Following another good save by Isaac, Lamberti unleashed a smash to get the score to 16-18.

Cincinnati4’s attack flew off the defense’s dig and into the seats, but a Bearcats error kept the lead at just 2, and Luhrsen yet again used a backwards dig over the net to score a point.A tandem block by the Bearcats extended the lead, and a Connecticut net error brought it to 3. Connecticut called a time out, and Murray roared out of it with two kills, the first off a block, the second just in bounds. With their lead to one 20-21, Cincinnati called a time out of their own.

The visitors picked up 2 points to make it 20-23, but Murray had another smash, and Mickens found a gap to slam a kill into.It was 22-23, and Cincinnati called another TO. Connecticut tied things up when their opponents spiked an attack out of bounds, but Harpenau picked up a kill, and Nevitt ended the set with a big kill.Cincinnati 1, Connecticut 1.

Set 3

The two teams continued their fairly even match fighting to a 14-14 score in set 3. Cincinnati’s points came in part from a Elley smash, a Harpenau and Nevitt tandem block, another Harpenau Ace, several Connecticut errors, a Niemer spike off the block, a Elley smash to the gap, Brandl block, another Elley big kill, and Nevitt got a set which she quickly sent over the net for the kill.

The Huskies picked up points off a few Bearcat errors, as well as a Luhrsen Ace, Kirk kill, Kirk block, another UConn spike, Luhrsen tapping the ball over, Frey picking up a block, and a Mickens spike off the blockers.

Connecticut then pulled ahead when Kirk brought forth a huge spike, and then shot one through the blockers on the following play.A Cincinnati error added to the Connecticut lead and lead to a time out.When play resumed though the bearcats committed another attack error, and Kirk had a massive kill to bring the lead to 5, 19-14. Peterson responded with a smash cross court, and Nevitt spiked one from the net to a gap in the UConn defense, but a Cincinnati error, and a Luhrsen and Murray block resulted in a 21-16 score.Another time out followed.Nevitt struck yet again with a kill just in bounds, and her teammate Brandl tipped an attack off the D to cut the lead to 3, 21-18.The run ended with a Bearcat error, but Fesl put one over following a fake set to keep the deficit at 3, 22-19.Connecticut responded following a great defensive save by Frey, when Mickens had a huge block.Elley’s kill cut the lead again, but Frey’s huge kill cross court put the Huskies within 1. Cincy wasn’t done and scored again, but Lamberti smashed the ball off the blockers to the floor to win the set 25-21.

Connecticut 2, Cincinnati 1.

Set 4

The Huskies pulled away to a 6-2 lead thanks to a Murray attack, a Kirk spike which popped off the block, two Mickens huge smashs, and a Luhrsen tap to the gap. Brandl had a spike for her team amidst the run.The Bearcats called a time out, and started a comeback when play resumed.Peterson hammered one of the block, and Brandl had an ace when her serve flew off the UConn dig. A home team error brought he score to 6-5, but Mickens responded with a spike, and Lamberti had a block to regain a 3 point lead.The two teams traded points to lead to a 9-6 score, but Cincinnati then went on a huge roll.

Nevitt picked up a kill, and Harpenau scored an ace when the serve hit the net and dropped to the gap. Two more aces followed, and Connecticut called a time out.Despite that two more aces occurred, and Nevitt would pick up a kill to put the visitors up 13-9.Lamberti stopped the bleeding with a smash through the blockers but Cincinatti continued to build off their advantage.Harpenau slammed an attack off the touch, but Kirk responded with a kill.The Bearcats scored again, but Murray unleashed a spike in return.Niemer hammered one of the defense to keep the lead at 4, 12-16.

Connecticut called a time out, but the point exchange continued.A Bearcat error followed by a Peterson crosscourt kill, another visitor error, and a Nevitt quick kill off the set gave each team two points. The Bearcats picked up two more points but Lamberti hit one of the blockers, to keep the deficit at 5, 15-20.Nevitt picked up the kill, and Harpenau another ace to bring the Bearcats within 3 of the win.

Connecticut mounted a comeback off an error, and Frey had an ace.But a serve into the net ended that run at 17-23.The two teams swapped points again, and the Bearcats committed two straight errors to put Connecticut within 4, but it was set point and the Huskies served into the net to end the set 20-25.

Connecticut 2, Cincinnati 2.

Set5

It would all come down to the final frame to 15 points. The Huskies exploded out of the gate with 3 quick points.Luhrsen picked up two aces and the Bearcats committed one errors as well.The visitors called a time out, and came back with 3 quick points of their own including a Elley kill, a Niemer tip over, and a Elley ace. Connecticut called a time out in response, and the Huskies came out of the stoppage with 5 points in a row thanks to a Mickens smash off the blockers, another Connecticut kill, a Cincinnati error, a Lamberti kill just in bounds, and she picked up an ace when the serve hit the net slowed and dropped off a dig.With the score 8-3, the two teams switched sides and Cincy came back off a Connecticut error and a Fesl tip over.Lamberti didn’t let it become a habit with a titanic smash to the middle of the bearcat defense and Frey served up an ace that popped off the defense. It was 10-5 and the visitors called another time out, but Connecticut delivered another kill. The Huskies served into the net, but Lamberti’s attack crashed through the block on the next play. It was 12-6.

Brandl and Niemer picked up kills to bring their team closer to the Huskies, but Murray accepted a set and smashed it over for Connecticut’s 13^th point.A Connecticut error and a Brandl tip made it 13-10, but the Bearcats hit the antenna on the next play. With set point at hand the Huskies served out of bounds, and their coach called a time out.It worked as Mickens unleashed a smash to win the set and match, 15-11.

Connecticut 3, Cincinnati 2.