Southern Miss
UCF
Southern Miss Volleyball Wins Conference Opener Against UCF, 3-2
9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 18, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sophomore Ashley Mell recorded a career-high 28 kills to go with 11 digs and four blocks to lead Southern Miss to a 3-2 win over UCF Friday afternoon in the Radisson-UCF Classic.
The Golden Eagles improved to 12-1 and 1-0 with the 25-15, 25-21, 31-33, 16-25, 15-11 win. Southern Miss hit .243 for the game and out-dug the Knights 84 to 72. Sophomore Caitlin Clarke added 19 kills and sophomore setter Kelsea Seymour tallied a season-high 60 assists and 15 digs. Senior Maia Ivanova moved into the top spot in all-time digs with a match-high 26. Amelia Hendrickson and Lisa Knecht had 13 digs apiece. UCF was led by Erin Campbell and Kristin Fisher with 19 and 18 kills, respectively.
Down 10-4 in the first set, USM used an 11-3 run to take its first lead of the set, 15-13. The Golden Eagles closed out the set with a 10-2 run to win 25-15.
In the second set, USM took a 12-7 lead and then staved off a hard-charging UCF team who got within two, 23-21, before Clarke put down the final two kills for a 25-21 win.
Following the intermission, the two battled as the third set featured 22 ties and 11 lead changes. Southern Miss held a 23-20 lead late, but could not get the final two points as the Knights turned in a gutsy performance down the stretch to claim a 33-31 win.
UCF forced a fifth game after popping out to an early lead to start the fourth set. The Golden Eagles got within one, but UCF scored six unanswered points to push the lead to seven, 14-17. UCF went on to win 25-16.
In the fifth set, Southern Miss outhit UCF .412 to .174 in claiming a 15-11 victory. With the score tied 4-4, Mell served six consecutive points for a 9-4 lead that the Eagles would not relinquish.
Southern Miss will face FIU in a match later today.
