University of Connecticut Athletics
Volleyball Defeats Rutgers, 4-1
11/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Nov. 5) - The University of Connecticut women's volleyball team defeated Rutgers, 4-1 (30-19, 27-30, 30-22, 30-20) on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Huskies improve to 13-12 overall and 5-6 against BIG EAST competition while Rutgers is now 9-15 overall and 4-7 in the conference.
The first game of the match started as a back-and-forth contest, with the two teams tying the score seven times. The Huskies eventually took the 13-12 lead on a kill by senior Heather Ashley (Smithsburg, Md.) and kept the lead from there. UConn closed out the game with two consecutive service aces by senior Megan Crawley (Georgetown, Texas). For the game, freshman Sarah Singer (Waukesha, Wisc.) led the Huskies with six kills while sophomore Brittany Stewart (Dolton, Ill.) had five digs and two service aces.
The second game was the toughest test of the match for UConn, as the score was knotted ten times in the early going. Rutgers opened a 16-12 lead and would stay ahead until the Huskies battled back to tie the game at 26-26 on a kill by Singer. The two teams were tied once more before Rutgers pulled away to take the game, 30-27. Singer led UConn with three kills in the game while Crawley had two kills, two service aces, two digs and one solo block and freshman Lorelle Schaub (New Brighton, Minn.) had three kills.
The third game proved to be all UConn, as the Huskies opened up a 20-13 lead and never looked back. Ashley led the Huskies with four kills and one solo block in the game while Singer and Crawley each added four kills. Junior Kaity Craig (Terryville, Conn.) had three kills and two service aces in the game.
UConn closed out the match by dominating the fourth game. The Huskies led from the start, opening up a 10-2 lead on the strength of sophomore Julie Pickard's (Hillsborough, N.C.) serve. She had two service aces in the game and UConn closed out the game and match on a kill by Ashley and a service ace by Stewart. For the game, Ashley had five kills and one dig, Crawley added four kills and three Huskies had two kills.
Singer led UConn in the match with 15 kills. She also had three digs and one solo block in the victory. Ashley had 14 kills, three digs and one solo block while Crawley had 13 kills, four service aces, seven digs and one solo block in the match. Senior Jenny Neelands (Gainesville, Fla.) had four kills in the match as well as 45 assists, six digs, two service aces and six block assists. Craig picked up five kills and two service aces while also blocking one shot herself and assisting on seven others.
The Huskies are next in action on Sunday, Nov. 6 when they travel to Villanova for a 2:00 p.m. start.
