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By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
October 30, 2009

Results

STORRS, CONN. – The West Virginia University volleyball team posted 14 team blocks to defeat BIG EAST foe Connecticut this evening at Hampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn.

“We are excited to beat a very good Connecticut team,” coach Veronica Hammersmith says. “It means a lot to us, as we are trying to reach our goal of getting into the conference championship. I think we played really well tonight.”

The Mountaineers improved to 14-11, 4-6, after defeating the Huskies (12-13, 5-4) in a 3-1 (25-15, 24-26, 27-25, 25-22) match.

Set one started with a 2-1 Mountaineer lead after a pair of kills from junior middle blocker Abby Norman and senior outside hitter Kristina Gallahan. UConn then answered with a few tough blocks to gain a 7-5 advantage. However, the lead was short-lived after a service ace from sophomore outside hitter Kylie Armbruster sent the Mountaineers on a 15-0 run, their longest of the season, as Norman and Gallahan controlled the net. The Huskies tried to come back, but were shut down after a kill from sophomore outside hitter Michelle Kopecky ended the set.

The Huskies rebounded in set two, as they dominated the Mountaineers throughout most of the set. Down, 20-23, WVU came back to tie after a kill from junior middle block Lauren Evans, followed by a WVU block and another kill from Armbruster. Refusing to fall, UConn fought back as Allison Nickel ended the set with a kill.

UConn carried the momentum into set three as it started with a 5-0 lead until a kill from Norman put the Mountaineers on the board. With the Huskies in the lead, 12-8, Armbruster took control to bring the Mountaineers back for the tie. The two teams battled for the rest of the set as they once again found themselves tied at 24. After a kill from Mattison Quayle to put UConn up by one, Gallahan answered with a kill and a service ace for a WVU lead, as Armbruster once again stepped up for a kill to win the set.

The fourth set proved to be just as exciting until sophomore setter Kari Post gave the Mountaineers a 23-21 advantage. Gallahan added another kill for WVU, while Evans posted a kill for the win.

Gallahan led the team with a season-high 18 kills and a .255 hitting percentage, while Armbruster posted nine kills and Norman recorded eight.

Junior libero Bonnie West also had a good match with 30 digs, while Post recorded her 11th double-double of the season with 38 assists and 16 digs.

As a team, WVU recorded 52 kills, 89 digs and six service aces.

The Mountaineers are set to continue conference play with a 2 p.m. match at St. John’s on Sunday, Nov. 1.