Volleyball Edged by Miami

Sunday, October 30

LOUISVILLE, KY

2:00 PM

University of Louisville

7-15, 2-10

MIAMI

11-13, 5-7

MIAMI

Louisville

October 30, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

Cards fall 3-2 in hard fought battle

By: Nancy Worley

LOUISVILLE, Ky – The University of Louisville's volleyball team fell to Miami i25-16, 20-25, 25-23, 28-30, 15-13 Sunday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center.

Junior Olga Strantzali led the Hurricanes with 30 kills, while junior Sylvia Hernandez dug 23 balls. The Louisville leader was freshman Melanie McHenry with 18 kills, while sophomore Molly Sauer tallied 22 digs. Miami pushes its record to 11-13 overall and 5-7 in conference play. Louisville, 7-15, 2-10, hit .218 and had 13.5 blocks and six aces, while Miami hit .267 and tallied eight blocks and six aces.The Cards were led by Melanie McHenry's 18 kills and two aces. Morgan Miller added 16 kills adn two blocks and Tess Clark had 11 kills and six blocks for the Cards.

"That was a hard-fought match and it is tough to walk away from that level of intensity without at win," said UofL head coach Anne Kordes. "It was right in our hands and we might have to chalk it up to inexperience. There was some nervousness from our kids but those are the same kids who made some big time plays too. My heart breaks for the team because we kicked it off on Friday with some great play against No. 11-ranked team and came back strong. But hats off to Miami. Olga Strantzali stepped up big for them."

In the first set Miami got out to a 9-3 to start. The Cardinals fought back, but were not able to tie or take the lead in the set. The Canes closed out the set with a 25-16 win. The Cards hit .217 and were led sophomore Morgan Miller's four kills. Miami hit .571 and were led by sophomore Kolby Bird's four kills.

The second set started 12-12 through the first 24 points. The Cardinals then went on a 5-0 run to take 17-12 lead, and won the set 25-20. The Cards hit .250 and were led by Melanie McHenry's six kills.

The third set was back-and-forth with neither team able to take a commanding lead throughout. Miami was able to take the set 25-23. Miami hit .262 and were led by Olga Strantzali's 10 kills. Louisville hit .167 and was led by Sauer's eight digs and redshirt-sophomore Kali Eaken's nine assists.

The fourth set saw the Cards take away a 30-28 win.There were 15 ties and seven lead changes before Louisville got the win to force the decisive fifth set. The Hurricanes hit .227 and were led by Strantzali's eight kills. The Cardinals hit .229 and were led by McHenry and Miller, who both tallied five kills.

The fifth set had nine ties but just one lead change, as the Canes took a 15-13. Miami hit .429 and Strantzali had four kills to lead the Canes to a win. Louisville hit .417 and were led by Miller's 3 kills.

Louisville will travel to Durham, N.C. to take on Duke on Nov. 4 at 3 pm.