Pitt
Cincinnati
Women's Volleyball Falls to No. 21 Cincinnati
11/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 7, 2010
PITTSBURGH--The University of Pittsburgh women's volleyball team dropped a three-set match to No. 21 Cincinnati, this afternoon at Fitzgerald Field House. The Bearcats won with scores of 25-14, 25-16 and 25-20.
Just short of a double-double, senior Allyson Hodnik recorded 28 assists and eight digs in the match. On the offensive side, the Panthers were led by senior Imani Harper with 12 kills, while classmate Amy Town tallied 10 kills and nine digs.
Defensively, Pitt matched Cincinnati on the block. Each team recorded five in the match, including two apiece in the final set.
The Panthers (11-17, 5-7 Big East) held a 2-1 lead in that third set, after winning a long rally. The Panthers proved to be strong on the block, keeping the ball on Cincinnati's side during the volley. The Panthers scored when junior Kiesha Leggs recorded a solo block.
Later, a kill from sophomore Alexa Campbell tied the set at eight. On the next serve, Leggs earned her fifth kill of the match to put the Panthers ahead 10-9.
With the scored knotted at 13 later, sophomore Margy Acton recorded a dig on a hard-hit ball that led to a backrow kill for Town. Next, a block from Leggs and Hodnik excited fans and tied the game once again. However, a Town kill gave Pitt a 19-18 advantage. Cincinnati recorded three kills to take a 20-19 advantage in the game. The Panthers took a timeout and responded with a kill from freshman Monica Wignot. The Bearcats would continue to push and rally a 4-0 run to take the set at match.
Town and Harper recorded five kills in the third set.
Earlier, in the first set, the Panthers had to fight back after trailing 7-1. Senior Amy Town ended the run for Cincinnati (24-4, 11-1 Big East) with a kill set up by Hodnik.
Later, senior Rachel Kalberer recorded back-to-back points for the Panthers when she combined on a block with Leggs and then earned a kill of her own. Hodnik assisted on the kill.
Trailing 19-10, Pitt took a timeout and won two of the next three serves. First, Hodnik set Town for a kill. Then Town recorded her 24th kill of the year.
Cincinnati went on a 3-0 run and led 24-12, when the Panthers held the Bearcats on set-point for two serves. A kill on the next volley ended the game in favor of Cincinnati.
Town and Acton recorded four digs in the opener.
In the next set, Harper's put the Panthers on the board again, after Pitt trailed 11-3. Harper received a set from Hodnik and found a hole between two Bearcats.
Next, Wignot and Leggs combined on a block to give Pitt its 10th point of the second set. Acton followed that point with her 13th ace of the season.
Later, Hodnik set Harper for her sixth kill of the match. The Panthers trailed 22-13 at that point. Pitt and Cincinnati would see-saw between the next six points, giving the Bearcats the set at 25-16.
Harper recorded five kills on nine swings in the set. She tallied a .556 hitting percentage, while Hodnik assisted on all nine of Pitt's kills in the game.
The Panthers host Connecticut at Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m.
