Tulsa
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UTEP
Golden Hurricane Stay Atop C-USA Standings
10/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2006
Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa volleyball team recorded its ninth win of the season as all six of its starters posted double-figure kill performances in a 3-1 (30-26, 30-16, 27-30, 30-28) win over UTEP on Sunday. A crowd of 197 witnessed the Golden Hurricane remain undefeated at home in the Donald W. Reynolds Center during Conference USA matches. TU, now 22-5 on the year and 9-2 in league play, has won 12 consecutive home C-USA matches dating back to last season.
Senior Germana Hilario led TU with 15 kills, while junior Kassiana Urnau finished with 13 kills for the Hurricane. Fellow junior Fabiola Nepomuceno recorded her eighth straight double-digit performance with 11 kills in the match. Senior Amy Meyer also recorded 11 kills, while fellow senior Ivana Krejcirova added 10 kills.
Junior Julia Silva posted her second triple-double of the season with 10 kills, 54 assists and 10 digs for Tulsa. Both Urnau and Hilario posted double-doubles with 18 and 13 digs apiece. Sophomore Kelsey Wood contributed a match high 22 digs for the Hurricane as well.
The Hurricane battled back in the first game of the match as the Miners scored the first six points of the match, before extending the lead to 10-2. A kill by Urnau pulled TU within 12-10, however the Hurricane could not climb over the hill until a service ace by Wood made the score 24-23 in TU's favor. Tulsa would then score six of the final nine points, including a pair of winners from Urnau to win the game.
The second game was even more of a back-and-fourth affair with seven ties and three lead changes. After UTEP took a 9-8 lead, the Hurricane went on a 7-0 run helped by a trio of kills by Krejcirova and a pair of kills from Hilario. After a Miner kill stopped the run, UTEP pulled within 15-10. That would be as close as the game would get. Fueled by three Nepomuceno service aces, TU would extend its lead t0 27-15 at one point.
After the break, the Miners opened the third game much like they opened the opening game, scoring the first three points this time for an early lead. UTEP would not relinquish the lead building it to a 23-13 lead at one point. TU went on a 6-0 run to pull within 25-23, but could not get any closer.
The final stanza was the closest of any of the games, as TU opened by scoring eight of the first 10 points. UTEP fought back to tie the game at 9-9, then took a 11-9 lead after a 5-0 run. A kill by Meyer tied the game at 13-13 for the Hurricane, one of nine ties in the stanza.
Tulsa did go up 21-17, only to see UTEP fight back to tie the game at 23-23. After a Miner ace gave UTEP a 25-24 lead, TU scored the next three points on a pair of kills and an attack error by UTEP. Another kill by Nepomuceno and an ace from sophomore Malorey Grove gave TU a 29-26 advantage. Urnau was able to finish off the match with a kill after the Miners closed to within 29-28.
The Hurricane will hit the road next week for its final C-USA road trip of the season. Tulsa will play at Houston on Friday, Oct 27th at 7 p.m. before traveling across town for a 1 p.m. match at Rice on Sunday.
