Volleyball Downs Miami of Ohio

Saturday, August 29

Champaign, Ill.

4:30 PM

University of Louisville

2-1

Miami University (OH)

0-3

Louisville

Miami (Ohio)

Erin Fairs

August 31, 2015 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Cards win 3-2

By: Nancy Worley

Janelle Jenkins had the hot hand with 23 kills and six blocks to lead the University of Louisville to a 3-1 win over Miami of Ohio in the Illini Classic in Champaign, Ill.

UofL improves to 2-1 with the 21-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-10 win. The Cards hit .279 with 10 blocks and six aces. Erin Fairs joined Jenkins in double digit kills with 12 and added an ace. Maggie DeJong had nine blocks.Katie George had 48 assists and 12 digs for a double-double. Miami was led by Paige Hill's eight kills and four blocks.

"I thought we got progressively better as the match went on," said UofL head coach Anne Kordes. "With back to back matches, to stay playing great volleyball for six straight hours is tough and they powered through it. We found a nice right side in Janelle Jenkins, who solidified her spot there. Katie George was just a relentless competitor the entire weekend and we need that from her. Molly Sauer executed so well at libero as well."

In the first set, after tying at six, Miami went on a 6-0 run to build a lead. The Cards counterpunched and got to within one at 15-14 and then took the lead at 18-17 on four straight kills by Janelle Jenkins. After the Redhawks called timeout, the two teams traded points until MU embarked on a 7-1 run down the stretch for the 25-21 win, with four of those points coming from Cardinal miscues.

Janelle Jenkins came alive on the right side in the second set, getting seven kills on 10 swings and no errors as the Cards' hitting percentage rose to a more presentable .250 in the set. The second set was tight with Miami tying at 14 with a four point run. The Cards pushed back to win 25-18.

The Cards led by as may as five early in the third set but Miami tied at 17 and then took the lead at 21-20. Tied at 23, Miami calls timeout and both teams trade points until Maggie DeJong gets a block for set point and a Miami hitting error by Meredith Stutz gives the Cards the 26-24 win. Jenkins had seven kills in the set.

In the fourth set the Cards popped out to an 8-1 lead and never looked back. Louisville hit .478 and had three blocks in set.

The Cards return to the KFC Yum! Center next Friday for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge featuring Wisconsin and Minnesota who will face off with the Cards and the Tarheels of North Carolina.