Sept. 5, 2008
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV volleyball team (1-3) hung strong with the 10th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (4-0) until the very end before succumbing in the fifth and final set in the UNLV Invitational held at the Cox Pavilion. The Rebels fought tooth and nail with the Badgers, as the squads alternated set victories through the first four frames. UNLV had two opportunities to put the match away in the fifth at 14-13 and 15-14, but were unable to pick up the ultimate point. Wisconsin took the match by set scores of 25-19, 25-27, 25-20, 20-25, 17-15.
In the fifth set, both teams came out firing. UNLV racked up a .455 hitting efficiency with 11 kills to only one error, while UW hit .429 with 15 kills and three errors. UNLV fell behind by as many as five points at the 10-5 juncture in the fifth stanza, but managed to pull even at 13-13. The Rebels first lead came at the same juncture as their first match point at 14-13. Wisconsin managed to knot the game up at 14-14 before Kelsey Keeler threw down her sixth kill in the fifth. The Badgers' Katherine Dykstra equaled Keeler's effort in the frame by collecting the final three points to give UW the set win and match.
Wisconsin out-hit UNLV by a .257 to .215 margin. The Badgers tallied 10 more kills (70-to-60) and one less error (25-to-24). The fifth set was the best for hitting. The second set was the only time that the team with the better hitting efficiency lost, as UW hit .175 to UNLV's .159.
Melody Nua picked up her 30th career double-double, as she combined 44 assists with 11 digs. Nua has now notched double figures in assists in 93 of 94 career matches. Nua pitched in three aces and five kills without committing an error for a team-best .556 hitting efficiency.
Keeler and Erin Greenwood tied for the team-lead in kills with 13, apiece. Keeler managed to hit at a .310 pace with Greenwood pitching in a .273. Jessica Walters joined Keeler and Greenwood in the double-digit kill category with her 11 contributions.
Camille Cunningham led the back-line defenders with a match-high 27 digs. Samantha Richard helped out defensively with 11 digs, as well.
UW's Janelle Gabrielsen joined Nua in the double-double club with her combination of 45 assists and 16 digs.
Dykstra was the top hitter for UW in the match, as she knocked down 21 kills and hit at a .417 pace. Brittney Dolgner followed closely behind Dykstra with 17 kills. Caity DuPont tossed in 11 kills to join her teammates in double-digits.
Next up for the Rebels are two matches on Saturday. UNLV begins its day with a noon match against Cal State Fullerton (2-2) before closing down the tournament against Miami (Ohio) (2-2) at 7:00 pm.
Note: In the UNLV Invitational's first match on Friday, Miami (Ohio) swept Cal State Fullerton by a 3-0 score.
