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Sept. 17, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia volleyball team suffered a 3-2 (30-26, 28-30, 30-19, 23-30, 15-9) setback to Albany in the final match of the Fairfield Inn Jefferson Cup Volleyball Tournament Saturday evening (September 17) at Memorial Gym. With the victory, the Albany claimed the tournament title with a perfect 3-0 record. The Cavaliers finished second in the tournament with a 2-1 mark and now stand at 5-4 on the season. Appalachian State won the first match of the evening session 3-0 (30-16, 30-25, 34-32) over Liberty to take third place.
Albany’s Ashlee Reed was named the MVP of the tournament and was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates Ashley Crenshaw and Shelby Goldman. Second-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and second-year middle Katie Oakes (Lorton, Va./Evangel Christian School) are Virginia’s selections to the All-Tournament Team. Kali Rumberger of Appalachian State and Kendall Nichols of Liberty round out the All-Tournament Team.
In the loss to Albany, Sarah Kirkwood and second-year outside hitter Beth Shelton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursula Academy) both tallied 17 kills to lead the Cavaliers. Kirkwood added six service aces, including five in the fourth game. Oakes tallied 13 kills and eight block assists. Third-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) and first-year middle Shannon Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) added nine kills and four blocks, including two solo stops. Osco also registered four service aces and 10 digs to tie second-year outside hitter Emily Perilli (Thompson’s Station, Tenn./Page) for team-high honors. Third-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) tallied 58 assists, five digs, three aces and three blocks.
Ashley Hunter paced Albany (9-2) with 20 kills and four block assists. Crenshaw added 14 kills and five blocks, while Goldman contributed 12 kills. Reed added 11 kills, 16 digs, three aces and five blocks. Setter Blair Buchanan had 54 assists, six kills, nine digs, two aces and two blocks.
The Cavaliers hit only .199 in the match with 68 kills, while Albany had 69 kills and hit .299. The Great Danes held a 71-40 advantage in digs, but UVa had a 14-9 edge in service aces and won the blocking battle 12-11. Virginia’s 14 service aces ties for the fourth-high single match total in school history. UVa also had 14 aces earlier in the tournament against Appalachian State.
Virginia begins its 22-match Atlantic Coast Conference schedule next weekend with a pair of away matches. The Cavaliers travel to Raleigh for a 7:00 p.m. match against NC State on Friday, September 23. UVa closes out its first weekend of conference play with a 6:00 p.m. match at North Carolina on Saturday (September 24).