University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Drop Heartbreaker to Arkansas in Pittsburgh Invitational
9/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Panthers Drop Heartbreaker to Arkansas in Pittsburgh Invitational
9/8/2000
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Panthers volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to visiting Arkansas tonight at Fitzgerald Field House. The match marked the Panthers' first of three contests in the Pittsburgh Invitational.
After taking a decisive 15-8 decision in game one, Pittsburgh captured an 18-16 victory in a marathon game two to take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Lady Razorbacks, however, battled back to take a 15-10 win in game three and a 15-5 win in game four to force the deciding period. The Panthers ultimately fell, 15-7, in game five.
Pittsburgh was led by the senior trio of Jennifer Nickels (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield North), Stacy Renick (Eagan, Minn./Eagan) and Marcia Thiesen (Chatham, Ontario/John MacGregor) who all posted career-highs for kills. Renick led all hitters with her 29 kills while also adding 14 digs. Thiesen chipped in another 24 kills and 22 digs and Nickels had 18 kills and four block assists.
Sophomore setter Carrie Norris (Fostoria, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) was also a force for Pittsburgh. She tied her career-high with 66 assists, while adding 13 digs for her third double-double of the season. Junior defensive specialist Alexandra Lacenere (Gibsonia, Pa./North Allegheny) also set a career-high mark with 18 digs.
The loss drops Pittsburgh's record to 4-2 on the season. The Panthers will resume play in the Pittsburgh Invitational Sept. 9 with a 1 p.m. match versus Miami (Ohio). They will also face Indiana at 7:30 p.m. in the final match of the tournament. Other matches tomorrow include a 10:30 a.m. contest between Arkansas and Indiana, and a 5 p.m. contest with Miami and Arkansas.
