katlynn dunlap
Chris Myers, WJU Athletics
2
Urbana UU 19-17
3
Winner Wheeling Jesuit WJU 30-5
Urbana UU
19-17
2
Final
3
Wheeling Jesuit WJU
30-5
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Urbana UU 26 16 21 25 14 (2)
Wheeling Jesuit WJU 24 25 25 23 16 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | @UrbanaU_Sports

UU Drives #1 Seed WJU to the Brink in Five-Setter

WHEELING, W. Va. -- An historic effort came up short as Urbana volleyball drove four-time reigning MEC champion Wheeling Jesuit to the edge in an instant classic Friday night in the MEC semifinals. The fifth-seeded Blue Knights (19-17) forced the host and top-seeded Cardinals (30-5) to five sets, where the two heavyweights were tied at 14-14, but it was WJU that squeezed out the win to advance into the championship match. The final set scores were 26-24, 16-25, 21-25, 25-23 and 14-16.

It was the second time ever that WJU has had to play a fifth set against an MEC school, which only happened previously in the inaugural year of the league in 2013. Additionally, the Cardinals have now only lost five out of 59 sets against MEC opponents this season - three of those courtesy of the Blue Knights.

"When you look at these opportunities, these matches, we talk with our girls about celebrating one way, playing one way, and preparing one way. I was really impressed with the way we were consistent with that energy," said head coach Tim Balice. "We set process goals as a staff and talk to the girls about that, you know, and we wanted to make sure that we ended our season playing our best volleyball."

UU raced out to a 7-2 lead in the final set and led 8-4 when the teams flipped sides. After the switch, WJU took three straight points but UU held on for an 11-8 advantage, but that didn't last as the Cards fought back to tie the score at 12-12. WJU kept it going after a UU timeout and grabbed the next two points, but an attack error and a kill from senior Aleese Butler tied the score again at 14-14. Unfortunately though, the momentum ran out for UU as the hosts recorded the final two points.

In her final match, senior outside hitter Katlynn Dunlap finished with 22 kills and 15 digs to end her stellar career as UU's all-time kills and digs leader in the school's NCAA Division II era.

Junior Cecily Clark and freshman Kaitlin Trace both reached double digits with 11 kills and sophomore Emilee Skerbetz ended with nine. Also playing her final match, senior Maia Dunlap gathered a team-high 18 digs. Freshmen setters Anna Davis (34) and Deandra Atwood (24) dished out a combined 58 assists.

Urbana came out strong in the opening set, as it did all night by holding a lead at one point in every stanza, when Kaitlin Trace provided the first point of the match. UU led the majority of the opener which included a quick 8-0 run to translate a brief 11-8 deficit into a 16-11 advantage. Senior Maia Dunlap held down service duties to lead the charge during the spurt.

The Cardinals tried to battle back and led 20-19, but a Deandra Atwood kill tied the score again. Then, UU won the final stretch when a kill from Anna Davis and then an ace by Atwood clinched the set.

UU got the first point again in the second frame, but the Cardinals rebounded and led the entire set after grabbing the 2-1 lead. A kill by Emilee Skerbetz and pair of WJU errors got the Blue Knights within five points with the score 16-11, but that was as close as UU could get in the second.

In the third set, UU jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead and then led 5-4 as four of the five points were a result of Katlynn Dunlap kills. UU kept it going and moved ahead by four points, 9-5, following back-to-back Skerbetz kills that forced a WJU timeout. WJU then tied it at 10-10 and the two sides traded blows with seven tied scores to end up knotted at 18-18. However, the Cardinals finally broke through and outscored the Blue Knights to close the set.

The pattern continued into the fourth set as Trace again grabbed a 1-0 lead for UU. The Cardinals built a three-point lead at 7-4, but UU responded with four straight points to persevere and power through a crucial point of the match. Senior Brianna Burkhalter provided a service ace as UU built a 17-12 advantage. Then, never far behind, the Cardinals tried to mount a comeback and tied the score back up at 23-23, but UU captain Katlynn Dunlap rose to the occasion and blasted her 20th kill of the night to put UU ahead for good to ultimately even the match at two sets, apiece.

Follow
Follow @UrbanaU_Sports on Twitter, Urbana_Sports on Instagram and check out UUBlueKnights.com for all the latest coverage of UU Athletics.


 
Print Friendly Version