University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
11-14, 3-9AAC
UCF
21-3, 12-0AAC
Elizabeth Kline tabs 1,000 career dig in rematch against UCF
11/1/2018 9:52:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Ended the night with 1,003 career digs
STORRS, Conn.—The UConn (11-14, 3-9 AAC) women's volleyball team hosted the Knights of the University of Central Florida (21-3, 12-0 AAC) on Thursday night in a rematch conference battle. UCF took the match in three very tightly contested sets.
Set One ended with seniors Iman McGary and Danielle Cabel hitting a crucial .333. However, opening the night up on the scoreboard for the Huskies was freshman Anna Petrova with the first kill for UConn to tie the set up at 3-3. The Knights would start rolling as a UConn timeout is taken at 12-8, UCF. The first set of the night would eventually go fall to the Knights at 25-17. This set had a total of three ties and a lead change.
UConn's adjustments showed in set two, as they challenged UCF the most in this set only falling by two. The Knights got out ahead of the Huskies but that didn't prove too much of a challenge as they were able to capitalize on UCF miscues to bring the set to 18-16. Freshman Caylee Parker took advantage of the situation and strung together a kill of her own followed by one from McGary, score was now tied at 18 all. A ball handling error by a Knight put the Huskies right back on track, with another tie at 19. Sophomore Ally Barrett forced the issue with a lead-changing kill, 20-19, and a UCF timeout. McGary and freshman Kennadie Jake-Turner were able to commit two more kills to the UConn effort before UCF walled off the Husky rally with 26 points. This set had the most ties and lead changes of the night, with nine and five respectively.
UConn tabbed the opening point in the final set, thanks to a beaming kill from Jake-Turner. This tick-for-tack set didn't see either team break away from the other until the ninth point that was award to UCF. A Husky timeout proved critical to readjust as Barrett exited that intermission with a striking kill. After trailing UCF another UConn rally emerged, started by a pair of McGary kills setup by redshirt-freshman setter Courtney Morris. With the score now a bit more manageable at 18-15, the Knights incur a 'bad set', handing the Huskies another point at 18-16. Barrett jumped on the opportunity much like before, and set one straight into the Knights' side of the court to bring UConn within one. McGary nabbed the final kill for UConn on the night, as UCF would go on to take the match 3-0 with a final score of 25-19.
This match had a total of 18 ties and nine lead changes. As a team the Huskies tallied 44 points, 37 total kills, a pair of aces, five blocks, 35 assists, and 58 digs. Leaders for UConn in kills were McGary (12), Parker (9), and Jake-Turner (8). McGary also posted a pair of service aces, her second consecutive game. Jake-Turner (3) teamed up with McGary (3) and redshirt-sophomore Genna Florig (2) for an old-fashioned Husky block party. Seniors Emma Turner and Elizabeth Kline in addition to Morris, dished out a total of 34 assists.
Kline led both teams in digs with 26 for her fourth consecutive double dig match and sixth match with 20-or more digs this season. She ended the match with 1,003 total career digs, and is the third senior to reach a career milestone.
UConn returns to Gampel on Saturday at noon against the University of South Florida Bulls. The Huskies took the match back on Oct. 12th in a come-from-behind win in five sets.
