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Improved Play Not Enough As Volleyball Falls At BYU, 3-1
Aug. 30, 2008
PROVO, Utah - Sometimes, in sports, the ball just does not bounce your way. That is the way it was for the Green Wave on Saturday afternoon at BYU. Despite playing a much-improved all-around game from their performance one night ago, the Tulane University volleyball team found itself on the wrong side of a hard-fought 3-1 decision to the 20th ranked Cougars Saturday afternoon in day two of the BYU Molten Classic at Smith Fieldhouse. "To come back after last night's performance - which was a disappointing one - and play as tough as we did against a quality team, a Top 20 team in BYU, is a good sign," Tulane head volleyball coach Liz Kritza said. "I gave them a challenge last night and they responded very well. I think this match could have gone either way. All of the sets were fairly close. After splitting the first two sets, 25-21 and 24-26, the Green Wave rallied from an 18-13 deficit in set three to tie things up at 23-all. Tulane staved off a pair of set-point opportunities for the Cougars and appeared to do so a third time as BYU outside hitter Bryn Porter's left hand brushed the antenna in a block attempt of a would-be Bridget Wells kill. No call was made, however, and the Cougars eventually took the set 27-25 on a block by Porter and Ashton Hosford. Tulane game captain Sara Radosevic approached up officialTeri Jackson about the non call, but despite protests both from Radosevic and a line judge, Jackson ruled the initial call correct and the Wave headed into the fourth set down, 2-1. Despite the Green Wave giving the Cougars a scare throughout the contest, BYU went on to win the fourth set, 25-21, to improve to 2-0 on the year. Tulane, meanwhile, fell to 0-2. Radosevic was one of three Tulane players to post double-digit kill totals with a match-best 17. Wells was next with 13 and junior right-side hitter Ksenija Vlaskovic followed with 10. Junior setter Rachel Lindelow posted the Wave's first double-double of the year with 22 assists and 11 digs, while senior Luna Rebrovic finished second on the club with 21 assists and junior libero Jenn Miller was second on the team with eight digs. "I think the setters made some better choices, but it also has to do with spreading our offense," Kritza said of Tulane's balanced attack. "We ran a different lineup today, and the lineup change allowed them to keep our offense more balanced. Obviously we would like to have had a few more digs and blocks, because that will make a difference for us - but overall, the performance was a good one." Tulane fell behind 4-1 early in set one, but battled back to tie the score at 6-all. It was a back-and-forth battle for most of the rest of the stanza as neither team could sustain a lead larger than two. But with the score knotted at 20-20, the Green Wave went on a 5-1 rally to take a 1-0 advantage. The late-set surge carried over into the second contest as the Green Wave rolled out to a 9-4 advantage. The Cougars, however, battled back to tie the score at 15 and claimed a 20-17 lead. BYU stretched the lead to as many as four at 22-18, but Tulane answered with a 6-1 rally to hold set point at 24-23. The Cougars, however, answered with a 3-0 rally of their own to tie the match at one set apiece. BYU jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the third set and led 18-13 later in the stanza. The Green Wave, however, refused to give in, made it a one-point game at 19-18 and eventually tied things up at 23-all before the no-call on the antenna play took place. The Green Wave got off to a good start in what proved to be the final set, claiming an early 4-1 advantage, but BYU used an 11-7 rally to take a 12-11 advantage it would never relinquish. The Cougar lead grew to as many as five at 19-15 and 22-17. Tulane chopped the deficit down to three at 23-20, but that would be as close as the Green Wave would get. For the second consecutive day, the Green Wave were out-blocked by a sizeable difference - this time 15.5-4.0 - as Ashton Hosford led the Cougars with a solo stuff and 12 block assists. Porter led BYU with 15 kills while Malia Marquardt and Kayla Wlker posted 11 each. Kiana Rogers led all players with 43 assists and 14 digs. "They were tough, tight sets," Kritza said. "We were able to establish the lead. Sometimes we were able to hang on to it and sometimes we were fighting back. But a lot of good things happened for this being the second match of the season. I think this group being ready to play and coming back from last night is a good thing. "Honestly, I really do think we could have pulled this upset off and they do as well, which will provide fuel for their fires to be ready for this match this afternoon. We need to get a win on this court and then move on." The Green Wave return to action later today when they close out tourney play against Utah State at 6:30 p.m. From there, the Tulane team will hit the road once again to participate in the Paso Robles Marriott Invitational on Sept. 5-6 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. For season tickets information or tickets to any future Green Wave home athletic event, contact the Ticket Office at (504) 861-WAVE.
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