Sept. 6, 2008

UNI-MU Box Score

NIU-MU Box Score

MILWAUKEE-- The Marquette women's volleyball team defeated Northern Illinois, 3-1 (30-28, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23) after being swept Saturday afternoon by UNI Invitational host Northern Iowa, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-20).

"We played well today in both matches," said head coach Pati Rolf. "We had great performances from both our outside hitters, [Ashlee] Fisher and [Leslie] Bielski and Caryn Mastandrea really had two great matches today really leading the team."

After failing to win a set in the first two matches of the UNI Invitational, the Golden Eagles headed into their match Saturday night against Northern Illinois looking for some early success. Marquette took an early lead at 1-0 on a kill by senior Ashlee Fisher before the Huskies reeled off five points to take a 5-1 lead. After tying the set at 6-6 and 7-7, Marquette regained the lead at 8-7 on another kill from Fisher. From there, MU continued to lead until an ace from NIU's Jody Hardwick tied the score at 21-21. After trading the lead back and forth, a block by sophomore Rabbecka Gonyo put Marquette at set point with the score 24-23.

A subsequent service error by junior Katie Vancura tied the score at 24-24 and a kill by the Huskies' Meagan Schoenrock helped Northern Illinois reach 25 points first. Sophomore Leslie Bielski responded with a kill to tie the set at 25-25. The lead exchanged as both squads attempted to take a two point advantage until junior Caryn Mastandrea's kill ended the set at 30-28. In the first set Fisher led Marquette with seven kills while Mastandrea added two kills and 11 assists.

Northern Illinois scored first in the second set but the Golden Eagles responded with five straight points to take a early 5-1 lead. Marquette's lead remained slim until the Huskies took a 13-12 lead on a service ace from Maria Benitez. A kill from Gonyo knotted the score at 14-14 and a block by Gonyo and freshman Laira Akin put MU on top 15-14. Marquette took the set 25-21 as Gonyo closed out the scoring with yet another kill. In the second set, Gonyo led the Golden Eagles with five kills and two blocks.

Following the break, the Huskies came out determined to not allow MU to close out the match in the third set. Much like the second, the third saw NIU get out to a 1-0 lead before Marquette answered with kills from Fisher and Tiara Russell. The Golden Eagles built a two point lead at 12-10 on a kill from Vancura before the Huskies pulled away to take the set 25-22.

Not wanting to leave Cedar Falls without a win, Marquette made sure to not let the match go to a fifth frame by closing out the Huskies in the fourth set. After NIU shot out to a 4-0 lead, the Golden Eagles chased down them the entire game, eventually catching up to them at 21-21 on a kill from Russell. After a point scored by NIU, Fisher hammered a kill to tie the score again at 22-22. From that point, two more kills from Fisher and an attack error by NIU's Katie Walsh ended the match at 25-23.

"It was one of the most exciting matches I have been involved with in the last year and a half," added Rolf. "This young team really dug in and played hard."

Against Northern Illinois, Fisher led MU with 21 kills while Gonyo added 14 and Bielski pitched in 12. Bielski's 12 kills along with her 15 digs allowed her to notch Marquette's first double-double of the season and libero Amy Deelo led MU with 21 digs while Mastandrea had 39 assists.

Earlier in the day, in the first set of the match against Northern Iowa, Marquette got of to a rough start, falling behind the Panthers 13-7 before mounting a comeback to knot the score at 14-14. After a UNI timeout, the Panthers took back the lead before MU responded with a kill by Vancura and Fisher added another to tie the set at 16-16. UNI built a three point lead at 20-17 before MU rallied to cut their deficit to one at 21-20. The Panthers then reeled off four straight points to take the set 25-20. Bielski led the Golden Eagles in the set with four kills.

The Panthers came out firing in the second set, building their lead quickly to nine at 20-11 before Marquette answered with a run of their own to cut the Panther lead to one at 23-22 on a kill by Bielski. During that run, Fisher accounted for three kills while Bielski added four and a block. UNI proceeded to close out the set, 25-23, even after Bielski added another kill for the Golden Eagles. In the frame, Mastandrea had 10 assists.

The match's last set saw MU and UNI fight for the early lead as a kill by Fisher tied the set at 10-10. UNI then rattled off seven straight points to build a seven point lead at 17-10. After a kill by Mastandrea, the Panthers scored five more points to build the Golden Eagles' deficit to 11 at 22-11. With UNI sitting at match point, MU scored six straight points on a pair of kills from Vancura and Fisher before UNI closed out the set and the match 25-20.

Bielski led the Golden Eagles against UNI with 12 kills, while Fisher added 10. Mastandrea assisted on 25 kills while Bielski led the squad with nine digs and four blocks.

For her efforts during the two-day event, Mastandrea was the lone Golden Eagle named to the UNI Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Golden Eagles return to action next weekend at the Al McGuire Center as they take on Temple, Green Bay and Bowling Green in the Marquette Challenge.