Pitt
American
Volleyball Knocks Off American in Five Games
9/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2005
PITTSBURGH - Pitt's volleyball team saved its best for the fifth and final game of a 3-2 win over visiting American in the second match of the Pitt Invitational for both teams. After winning the first two sets, American had fought back to tie the match at 2-2 before the Panthers finished the Eagles off.
Pitt won a close first set, 30-25, and moved to within a game of the match win with a 30-17 victory in game two. After American (4-3) won 30-24 and 30-25, Pitt (6-3) took early control of the fifth set and won it handily.
The Panthers had five freshmen in the starting lineup and got solid contributions from all of them. Setter Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) had a match-high 53 assists to go along with two service aces, two digs and two blocks. Middle Allie Cherven (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell Central) posted 11 kills and hit .318 while adding a team-best seven blocks at the net.
Right-side hitter Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) narrowly missed a double-double with nine kills and nine digs, while fellow freshman Jessica Moses (North Olmsted, Ohio/Lutheran West) hit .571 with nine kills and just one error in 14 attempts. The fifth freshman starter was Monica Macellari (Granger, Ind./S.B. Clay) and she contributed six kills, two aces, six digs and two blocks.
Offensively, Pitt still relied heavily on sophomore Diana Andreyko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and she responded with 23 kills, three aces, seven digs and four blocks.
American was led by Cutrina Biddulph with 21 kills and eight blocks, while setter Tara Stradling had 46 assists. Pitt (1-1) will face Miami (Ohio) (1-1) for second place in the tournament on Saturday evening.
NOTES: The Panthers were without senior outside hitter Gini Ullery (Tracy, Calif./Tracy), who was injured in Pitt's loss to Maryland on Friday evening...Ullery is expected to be back on the court on Saturday evening or Wednesday vs. Marshall...Pitt improved to 9-0 all-time vs. American and 12-0 against teams from the Patriot League.
