Aug. 30, 2003
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The University of Kentucky volleyball used four players with double-figure kill performances to secure a 3-1 win over Tennessee Tech in its final match at the Wake Forest Demon Deacon Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 30 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Sissy Canfield led the Wildcat charge with 15 kills and six blocks on .323 hitting. Senior Liz McCaslin added 12 kills on .244 hitting, while Sarah Spinner had 11 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Melissa Popp had a productive match as well, tossing in 10 kills on .308 hitting and adding five digs.
Kentucky (2-1) received a boost from freshman Kirby Newhouse, how entered in the third game and totaled eight digs. Fellow newcomer Jenni Casper also had a solid night, collecting 16 digs, while sophomore setter Leigh Marcum had a double-double with 46 assists and 10 digs. Marcum’s hitting was sharp as well as the Noblesville, Ind., native added seven kills on .667 hitting.
The Cats had 12 service aces in the game to TTU’s two. UK’s total was more than the other two tournament games combined.
After falling behind 2-0 early in the first game, Kentucky rallied to a 7-3 lead. Tech tied the game two more times before the Wildcats reeled off six consecutive points to earn a 15-9 advantage and force a TTU timeout. UK stretched its lead to as much as 11 with a balanced attack, but seemed to fade as the Eagles chiseled the deficit to seven, forcing a Wildcat timeout at 28-21.
UK went on game point with a kill by McCaslin and allowed just one more point before Canfield sealed the 30-23 victory with ball down the right side. Canfield recorded five kills on .833 hitting in the opening game, while the Cats hit .250 to TTU’s .200.
The Wildcats went up 4-2 to start the second game before Tech tied the score at four. The teams saw one more tie at five before Tech took the lead for good. UK cut the margin to three at 20-17, but couldn’t overcome mistakes and dropped the game, 30-23. The .132 hitting performance dropped UK’s overall percentage to .192.
The third game saw more tough competition as the teams battled through four early ties before Kentucky used a 5-0 run to lead 14-9. Mid-way through the run, freshman Newhouse made her Wildcat debut and contributed greatly with five consecutive digs. Newhouse added an ace in the run, which UK stretched to an 11-point lead at 24-13.
The Golden Eagles fought back to cut the deficit to six on three separate occasions, but back-to-back errors by Tennessee Tech gave Kentucky the 30-22 win.
The teams traded leads to begin the fourth game, before UK opened up a five-point lead at 8-3. Tennessee Tech wouldn’t back down and cut the distance to three at 11-8. Kentucky was able to regain control, however, and extend its lead to 10 at 24-14 with four consecutive Canfield kills, forcing the TTU bench to huddle.
The Golden Eagles were able to hold the Cats at match point for three consecutive serves before a kill by McCaslin sealed the win at 30-22.
Kentucky returns to the court on Friday, Sept. 5, when it faces Western Illinois in the opening night of the Iowa Cyclone Challenge in Ames, Iowa. The match gets underway at 5 p.m. ET.
