Cavaliers Sweep Marshall, 3-0 to Open Season
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Aug 30, 2013
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The Virginia volleyball team opened the 2013 campaign in emphatic fashion by defeating Marshall, 25-17, 25-18 and 29-27, Friday evening (Aug. 30) as part of the Jefferson Cup at Memorial Gymnasium.
UVa (1-0) hit .340, while holding the Thundering Herd (0-1) to a .147 hitting percentage. Virginia also outblocked Marshall, 8-4.
“For us, it was huge to get started with a win,” head coach Dennis Hohenshelt said. “It verifies everything we’ve been talking about since preseason started about what it takes to win. It was a good match for us and we hit the ball well.”
The Cavaliers had impressive debuts from freshmen Jasmine Burton (West Hills, Va.) and Haley Kole (Tallahassee, Fla.) and sophomore transfer Lauren Fuller (Manhattan Beach, Calif.). Burton hit .520 with 14 kills against one error, Kole recorded 10 kills and Fuller added 37 assists and nine digs.
Junior Tori Janowski (Sterling, Va.), returning to her natural position of outside hitter after setting most of last season, tallied 12 kills, while senior Emily Rottman (Santa Barbara, Calif.) led the squad with 12 digs. Junior Mallory Woolridge had five kills and five blocks in her first action since 2011 after missing last year due to injury.
After a close first set was tied at 17, the Cavaliers pulled off eight straight points, including three kills by Burton and two by Janowski, to win 25-17.
In the second set, the two teams were closely battling before UVa went on an 8-2 run to close out the frame and win 25-18.
The third set saw the Cavaliers come out a little flat, falling behind 14-7 before battling back and outlasting Marshall, 29-27.
“They battled and there’s a grit to this team,” Hohenshelt said. “(Being able to put the match away) is a big learning experience for us and having that the first night was almost as important as winning the match.”
The Jefferson Cup continues Saturday (Aug. 31) as the Cavaliers face James Madison at noon and Montana at 7 p.m. Marshall and Montana play at 10 a.m., while JMU and Marshall face off at 4:30 p.m.