Volleyball Drops Three Matches in the Michigan Pepsi Challenge
9/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 9, 2001
The Pittsburgh volleyball team suffered three losses in the Michigan Pepsi Volleyball Challenge this past weekend. Sophomore Wendy Hatlestad (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) earned her second honor of the season as she was named to the all-tournament team.
In the Panthers' opening match of the tournament Sept. 7, Pittsburgh fell, 3-0, (30-18, 30-20, 30-27) to the host Wolverines. Michigan jumped out to big leads in the first two games, and the Panthers could not recover. In game three trailing by two games, the Panthers kept the third match tight, but were unable to pull ahead of the Wolverines and they fell, 30-27.
Hatlestad led the Panthers with 16 kills and sophomore outside hitter April Puzauskas (Palos Hills, Ill./Amos Alonzo Stagg) added 10 digs. Junior setter Carrie Norris (Fostoria, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) paced the Panthers with 27 assists.
In Pittsburgh's second match of the tournament, the Panthers fought an undefeated Georgia team to five games, but ultimately fell, 3-2 (30-16, 19-30, 23-30, 30-28, 13-15).
Puzauskas recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 kills and 14 digs, while Hatlestad had a match-high 29 kills. Freshmen Melissa Whaley (Ancaster, Ontario/St. Mary's Secondary School) and Lindsey Macke (Ft. Thomas, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) had 18 and 12 digs, respectively.
The Panthers suffered another close setback, 3-2 (21-30, 26-30, 30-17, 30-22, 9-15), to Eastern Michigan in their final contest of the tournament Sept. 8.
Four Panthers reached double-figures in kills including Hatlestad with 19 and Puzauskas with 15. Senior Heather Haff (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and freshman Gini Ullery (Tracy, Calif./Tracy) each added 11 kills of their own.
The Panthers return to action this weekend when they host the Pittsburgh Invitational. The field will include Georgia Tech, Cleveland State and Fairfield.