Eastern Michigan Athletics
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UTEP @
Volleyball Outlasts UTEP, 3-2
8/25/2006 10:43:15 PM | Volleyball
EL PASO, Texas – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team posted a 3-2 (25-30, 30-24, 23-30, 30-16, 15-12) victory over UTEP in its second match of the 2006 Sun Bowl Volleyball Invitational Friday night at Memorial Gym.
With the victory, EMU improves to 1-1 on the season, while UTEP fall to 0-1 on the season.
Four Eagles tallied double-digit kills, including senior Lindsay Piccolini who added 19 kills and three block assists in the victory. Junior Becky Reenders added 16 kills and seven total blocks (1 solo, 6 assist), while freshman Victoria Randolph tallied 16 kills. Junior Abby Reenders recorded 10 kills and 25 digs while junior Kate Sulewski added 59 set assists.
For UTEP, Christie Murphy paced the attack with 20 kills and two blocks assist for a total of 21.0 points.
In the first set, the two teams traded points with neither team able to get more than a point advantage until midway point of the game. EMU took a 18-16 lead following a Piccolini kill. But the advantage would be short lived as the Miners went on a 14-7 run to claim the first game.
The second game started off much like the first, with neither team able to take control until EMU used a 9-6 run to take a three point edge at 22-19. UTEP would never challenge as the Eagles tied up the match lead with a 30-24 victory. EMU's Becky Reenders tallied six kills two total blocks (1 solo, 1 assist), while Piccolini added five kills. The Miners were paced by Murphy with four kills.
Despite losing game two, the momentum was building for the host Miners as they reached the midpoint of the game first with a 15-11 lead. The Orange and Blue led by as many as seven points as they won the game 30-23.
As dominant as UTEP was in the previous set, the Eagles were even better in the fourth game rolling to a 30-16 decision. The Green and white jumped off to a four point edge, 10-6, and saw the lead grow to 10 at 19-9. Four Eagles posted at least three kills during the game, with Piccolini tallying a team-high four.
In the finale, EMU moved out to a quick 4-1 lead and continued to battle as UTEP would not let the game get out of reach. EMU built a four point lead, 11-8, before the Miners rallied off four quick points to knot the score at 11. EMU was able to regain control and hold off host UTEP to claim the game and the match.
The Eagles continue play Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Sun Bowl Invitational with matches against Texas Tech University and Sacramento State University.
