Volleyball Drops Five-Set Match to Rutgers
11/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Volleyball Drops Five-Set Match to Rutgers
11/5/2004
PISCATAWAY, N.J. ? The Pittsburgh volleyball team lost for the first time in nine matches and for the first time since the 2003 season against a Big East opponent, dropping a five-set match to Rutgers on Friday evening.
The Panthers (18-6, 6-1 Big East) got 25 kills from Gini Ullery (Tracy, Calif./Tracy) and 22 kills from freshman Diana Andreyko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), both season highs, in the loss to the Scarlet Knights (14-9, 2-5) at the College Avenue Gym.
Rutgers won the first game 30-26 but the Panthers rallied back to take two by a commanding 30-22 score. Again, the Scarlet Knights took a lead in the match with a 30-25 victory in the third set before Pittsburgh tied it at 2-2 with a 30-21 victory in game four. Rutgers won the fifth and final set, 15-13, to end the Panthers' winning streak.
Pittsburgh played without senior middle hitter Megan Miller (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law), who was injured in practice earlier in the week. Ullery recorded a career-high 68 swings and added eight digs and four blocks. Andreyko hit .367 in 39 attempts with seven digs. As a team, the Panthers hit .281 and held the Scarlet Knights to a .250 hitting percentage.
Junior libero Megan McGrane (Muncie, Ind./Delta) had a team-best 28 digs and sophomore setter Azadeh Boroumand (Red Deer, Alberta/Thurber) put away four of her eight attempts for a .500 hitting percentage and had 62 assists and 11 digs.
Rutgers was led by Lora Yankauskas, with 22 kills, 13 digs and six blocks, and Dawn Christjaener with 21 kills and 15 digs.
The Panthers will be at Seton Hall on Sunday afternoon, needing one more win to clinch a spot in the Big East Championships, held at Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday-Sunday, November 20-21. For tickets to the Big East volleyball tournament, click on the tickets link here at www.pittsburghpanthers.com.