University of Louisville
Arizona<BR>(Arizona Tournament)
Volleyball Falls to #5 Arizona
September 08, 2001 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2001
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Lisa Rutledge had 14 kills to lead No. 5 ranked Arizona to a three game sweep of the University of Louisville in the final match of the Arizona Wildcat Classic.
Arizona improved its record to 5-0 with the 30-28, 20-19, 30-28 win. Louisville suffered its first loss and post a 4-1 record.
"Arizona has a lot of weapons and when we would adjust, someone else would pick up the slack," said U of L head coach Leonid Yelin.
In the first game, Arizona couldn't break free of the Cardinals and even trailed 18-15. A Shannon Torregrossa klll and blocks by Erin Sebbas and Lisa Rutledge tied the score at 18. The scored see-sawed back an forth to a 28-28 tie. Louisville was wide on the final two points to fall 30-28. Four service errors and a .190 hitting percentage for the Cardinals told part of the story, while the Wildcats outblocked U of L 6-1. Arizona was particularly effective against Anastasia Zaitseva's attacks, forcing her to notch more errors than kills for a negative hitting percentage, her first of the year.
"We were in the position to win in the first game, but couldn't push through," said Yelin.
In the second game, the fifth-ranked Wildcats tore out to a 18-6 lead. Powered by five service aces and cold hitting by the Cardinals, who hit .082 to Arizona's .344 enabled them to pull away safely for the 30-19 win.
Facing a sweep, the Cardinals stayed closer in the final game. After not allowing Arizona to hold more than a two-point lead, the Cardinals tied the score at 14 on a kill by Percan. Three miscues by the Cardinals pushed the Wildcats to a three point lead at 18-15. U of L battled back and took the lead at 28-27 on a block by Benny Flynn and Percan. But the Cardinals didn't score again with Arizona blocking Percan for game and match point.
Percan, Torregrosa, Talbot, Rutledge and Utah's Kim Turner were named to the All-Tournament team.
The Cardinals are idle until Sept. 11 for their home opener against intrastate rival Kentucky.
