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Tulsa
Loyola-Chicago (Loyola Invitational)
Volleyball Wins Loyola Invitational
9/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 17, 2005
MC Box Score | LUC Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - For the second straight tournament, the University of Tulsa volleyball team won the championship trophy. The Golden Hurricane started the day with a 3-0 (30-17, 30-21, 30-18) win over Manhattan, before concluding the day with a 3-1 (30-13, 26-30, 30-18, 30-25) victory over host Loyola-Chicago at the Loyola Invitational.
The win over LUC is the ninth in the last 10 matches for the Hurricane. Junior Germana Hilario led TU with 18 kills against the Ramblers, as four Hurricane hitters reached double-digits in kills. Fellow junior Amy Meyer, along with sophomore Kassiana Urnau, recorded 12 kills. Senior Sam Rutherford also contributed 11 kills for TU. Hilario, attributed with 23.5 points, also added five service aces, nine digs, one block and one assist.
Sophomore setter Julia Silva narrowly missed her second triple-double of the season with nine kills, 45 assists and 14 digs. It is, however, fifth double-double of the season for the two-time Conference USA Setter of the Week honoree.
Hilario earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors after averaging 2.80 kills per game with a .345 hitting percentage on the weekend. Rutherford and Meyer were also named to the all-tournament team for the Hurricane.
Silva got the Hurricane going by starting off the first game with a service ace. TU would not relinquish the lead after blowing out to an 11-3 lead. After recording five aces in the first stanza, the Hurricane fittingly ended the game, with an ace by Urnau.
The second game saw seven ties but only one lead change as TU scored first for a 1-0 lead. However, the Hurricane could not regain the lead the rest of the game. The third game seemed to start much like the second with Loyola taking an early 3-1 lead. However the Hurricane stormed back, thanks to Meyer's right arm. The Buda, Texas native served 10 consecutive times to help make the score 11-4 in Tulsa's favor. In game four, the teams combined for five ties and two lead changes. After coming from-behind to tie the score at 15-15, the Hurricane was able to out last the Ramblers in the sprint to the finish.
The tandem of middle hitters Renee Brooks and Rutherford helped lead TU against Manhattan earlier in the day. Rutherford led TU with 11 kills. Brooks led TU with five blocks to go along with eight kills. Silva led TU with 37 assists, in addition to six kills and six digs. Wills posted 18 digs, while Urnau added 10 more digs for the Hurricane.
Tulsa (12-2) will return to campus and C-USA play with a Friday, Sept. 23, match against Southern Miss. Due to Homecoming festivities the match will be played at the Mabee Gym on the TU campus at 7 p.m. Admission to the contest is free.
