Volleyball Comes Back From 2-0 Deficit to Defeat Rutgers
11/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Volleyball Comes Back From 2-0 Deficit to Defeat Rutgers
11/1/2002
PISCATAWAY, N.J. ? Sophomore middle hitter Megan Miller connected for 20 kills and hit .425 to lead the Panthers to a 3-2 comeback victory over Rutgers on Friday afternoon.
Rutgers won the first two games, 30-25 and 30-27, before Pittsburgh stormed back to win the final three by scores of 34-32, 30-27, and 15-12. Miller (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) had just three errors in 40 attempts and was the first Panthers player to record 20 kills in a match this season. She also added five digs and three blocks while raising her season hitting percentage to .409, fourth highest in the nation.
Junior Wendy Hatlestad (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) and freshman Madelyn Egan (Sandy, Utah/Brighton) also had strong matches with 17 kills apiece. Hatlestad hit .400 with just three errors in 35 attempts with 14 digs and four blocks. Egan's career-best total in kills led her to a .378 hitting percentage on the day with a match-high six blocks.
Senior setter Carrie Norris (Fostoria, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) moved closer to becoming the Panthers' all-time assists leader with a season-high 66 assists in the match. Norris now has 4,408 career assists, 48 away from Annemarie Mernagh's school-record of 4,456. She also had five kills and 10 digs in the match and junior April Puzauskas (Palos Hills, Ill./Amos Alonzo Stagg) had eight kills and 10 digs in a starting role.
Freshman libero Megan McGrane (Muncie, Ind./Delta), the Big East leader in digs per game, had a career-high 24 in the five-game victory and added two assists.
Pittsburgh (16-8, 6-3 Big East) hit .275 for the match while the Scarlet Knights (14-9, 3-5) hit just .178. The Panthers will be at Seton Hall on Sunday afternoon before coming home for three of their final four matches.