Volleyball Drops Two Matches on Opening Day - UNC Asheville Bulldogs Official Athletics Site

Aug. 25, 2006

HARRISONBURG, Va. - HARRISONBURG, Va.--The UNC Asheville volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking five-game match to Canisius and then dropped a four game match to Rutgers at the Days Inn/JMU Invitational on Friday.

The Bulldogs (0-2) led the Canisius match two games to one after leading the whole way in the opening game winning 30-28. Canisius took game two 30-23 but Asheville responded with a 30-26 win in game three. Big South Preseason Player of the Year Elif Unlu had 16 kills in the first three games finishing the match with a match-high 20 kills.

Canisius (1-0) limited Unlu to four kills in the final two games. The Golden Griffins won game four 30-24 and then built an 8-3 lead in the deciding fifth game. The Bulldogs battled back with a 7-2 run to tie the game at 10-10. The teams traded points to 14-14. An Asheville service error and an attack error gave Canisius the 16-14 victory and the match three games to two.

Aislinn Hayes led the Griffins with 19 kills on 51 swings. Leigh Launhardt had 18 kills, two errors, on 28 swings for a .571 attack percentage. Mary Boller was also in double figures with 10 kills. Canisius out-hit Asheville .193 to .136 and out blocked the Bulldogs 11-3 in the match.

Ashley Wrightenberry had 11 kills and nine digs while Raquel Miotto had a match-high 25 digs for the Bulldogs.

Asheville started four freshmen in its opening match of the season. Alysha Greer began her career with 12 kills, three errors, on 32 swings for a team-high .281 attack percentage. Lauren Ficker had eight kills and 15 digs, Emily Palma chipped in six kills and two blocks, while setter Kaitlyn McDaniel handed out 44 assists in her first match. In the final match of the day, Rutgers (1-1) built a 2-0 lead taking the first two games 30-18 and 30-25. The Bulldogs battled back to take game three 30-26 but fell in game four 37-35.

Wrightenberry led the way for Asheville posting career highs in kills with 19 and digs with 16 for her first double-double of the year. Freshman Ficker had 17 kills as the Asheville middles each hit over .500 in the match. Unlu recorded 15 kills and 16 digs for her second double-double of the day.

Kyra Thompson led all hitters with 21 kills for Rutgers who fell to Duquesne earlier in the day.

Asheville will face James Madison at 1 p.m, on Saturday before completing the tournament against Duquesne at 5 p.m. Saturday.