Friday, October 7
Storrs, Conn.
5:30 PM
Creighton University
13-3,5-0Big East
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Connecticut
6-10,0-5Big East
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#21 Creighton
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UConn
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#21 Volleyball Rallies To Beat UConn in Five Sets
10/7/2022 7:59:00 PM | Volleyball
Jays overcome an 0-2 deficit to remain unbeaten in BIG EAST play
STORRS, Conn. -- The No. 21 Creighton Volleyball team rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat host Connecticut in five sets on Friday night in Storrs, Conn.
Scores of the match in favor of Creighton were 23-25, 21-25, 25-15, 25-12, 15-13.
The win moved Creighton to 13-3 overall and 5-0 in BIG EAST play, while UConn dropped to 6-10 overall and is winless in five BIG EAST contests.
"We knew we'd be in for a battle," said Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. "The first two sets I thought we had opportunities to win both of them, but then we didn't make big plays at big moments....I told the team, this was a big-time gut check to battle back and win three and four handily and then obviously game five was close. I thought a couple people made big plays in game five. Ellie (Bolton) and Sky (McCune) both made big-time digs on points that we won in game five and then Kendra (Wait) made a gutsy play at the end to hit that ball over, so I'm proud of their fight but we were really fortunate to get out with a win."
UConn became the first BIG EAST team to win a set over Creighton with a 25-23 set one victory. The Huskies used a 4-1 run to build a 24-21 edge, then squandered two set points, before Caylee Parker's sixth kill of the night gave the hosts an early 1-0 lead. UConn hit .353 and served three aces in the first set to offset a Bluejay offense that hit .379 and got five kills from Norah Sis.
The Huskies went up 2-0 at the intermission after a 25-21 win in the second set. After falling behind 12-8, the Huskies rallied to tie the score at 15-all and took the lead for good at 20-19 on a tandem block by Kennadie Jake-Turner and Madi Whitmire. Parker and Sis both had six kills in the game.
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CU dominated the third set, never trailing en route to a 25-15 victory. Jazz Schmidt came off the bench to provide a boost and CU held the Huskies to .000 hitting in 31 wings during the set. Sis continued her offensive barrage, adding six more kills. Kendra Wait dished 10 assists and had a hand in three blocks in the third frame.
Creighton never trailed in the fourth set either, bolting to a 7-2 lead behind three straight kills from Sis. Creighton's lead grew to 13-4. CU hit .406 in the frame and owned a 17-4 advantage in kills in the fourth set, including eight kills in 11 swings by Sis. Wait dished 16 assists and had three digs to help force the deciding set.
The fifth set featured nine ties and six lead changes before CU emerged victorious. The Bluejays trailed 9-8 in the fifth set before a 4-0 run on Bolton's serve. The Jays owned a 14-11 lead, only to see UConn win the next two points. After a Bluejay timeout, Creighton closed out the victory with a kill from Wait. The Bluejays got three blocks in the final frame, including two from Kiana Schmitt, while forcing UConn into five attack errors.
The 27 kills from Sis were one shy of the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year's career-high, set last month in a 3-2 win over Florida State. She added 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the fall. Wait earned her 11th double-dip with 52 assists and 12 digs while also collecting four blocks and three kills. Kiara Reinhardt also had a big night, hitting .556 with 11 kills and four blocks. Creighton notched 63 kills, five aces, 67 digs and 12 blocks on .289 hitting overall.
UConn was led by 18 kills and 12 digs by Parker. The Huskies hit .144 and finished with 52 kills, eight aces, 58 digs and 12 blocks overall.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CST with a match at Providence.
NOTES: The match was the 100th five-set match at Creighton for Kirsten Bernthal Booth, and CU's 65th victory in those marathon matches ... Creighton has won started 5-0 in league play (or better) for the sixth time in the past nine seasons ... Creighton improved to 17-3 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth in conference road openers, including nine straight wins ... Creighton has now won 16 straight regular-season BIG EAST matches since losing at UConn last season ... Creighton improved to 16-203 all-time when trailing a match 0-2, and 14-104 under Booth. It was CU's first comeback from down 0-2 since Jan. 31, 2021 at South Dakota and first such road victory in BIG EAST play since Nov. 20, 2015 at Georgetown ... Creighton is 18-7 in its last 25 true road matches to go five sets ... Five of Creighton's last six matches played outside D.J. Sokol Arena have gone five sets.
Scores of the match in favor of Creighton were 23-25, 21-25, 25-15, 25-12, 15-13.
The win moved Creighton to 13-3 overall and 5-0 in BIG EAST play, while UConn dropped to 6-10 overall and is winless in five BIG EAST contests.
"We knew we'd be in for a battle," said Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. "The first two sets I thought we had opportunities to win both of them, but then we didn't make big plays at big moments....I told the team, this was a big-time gut check to battle back and win three and four handily and then obviously game five was close. I thought a couple people made big plays in game five. Ellie (Bolton) and Sky (McCune) both made big-time digs on points that we won in game five and then Kendra (Wait) made a gutsy play at the end to hit that ball over, so I'm proud of their fight but we were really fortunate to get out with a win."
UConn became the first BIG EAST team to win a set over Creighton with a 25-23 set one victory. The Huskies used a 4-1 run to build a 24-21 edge, then squandered two set points, before Caylee Parker's sixth kill of the night gave the hosts an early 1-0 lead. UConn hit .353 and served three aces in the first set to offset a Bluejay offense that hit .379 and got five kills from Norah Sis.
The Huskies went up 2-0 at the intermission after a 25-21 win in the second set. After falling behind 12-8, the Huskies rallied to tie the score at 15-all and took the lead for good at 20-19 on a tandem block by Kennadie Jake-Turner and Madi Whitmire. Parker and Sis both had six kills in the game.
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CU dominated the third set, never trailing en route to a 25-15 victory. Jazz Schmidt came off the bench to provide a boost and CU held the Huskies to .000 hitting in 31 wings during the set. Sis continued her offensive barrage, adding six more kills. Kendra Wait dished 10 assists and had a hand in three blocks in the third frame.
Creighton never trailed in the fourth set either, bolting to a 7-2 lead behind three straight kills from Sis. Creighton's lead grew to 13-4. CU hit .406 in the frame and owned a 17-4 advantage in kills in the fourth set, including eight kills in 11 swings by Sis. Wait dished 16 assists and had three digs to help force the deciding set.
The fifth set featured nine ties and six lead changes before CU emerged victorious. The Bluejays trailed 9-8 in the fifth set before a 4-0 run on Bolton's serve. The Jays owned a 14-11 lead, only to see UConn win the next two points. After a Bluejay timeout, Creighton closed out the victory with a kill from Wait. The Bluejays got three blocks in the final frame, including two from Kiana Schmitt, while forcing UConn into five attack errors.
The 27 kills from Sis were one shy of the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year's career-high, set last month in a 3-2 win over Florida State. She added 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the fall. Wait earned her 11th double-dip with 52 assists and 12 digs while also collecting four blocks and three kills. Kiara Reinhardt also had a big night, hitting .556 with 11 kills and four blocks. Creighton notched 63 kills, five aces, 67 digs and 12 blocks on .289 hitting overall.
UConn was led by 18 kills and 12 digs by Parker. The Huskies hit .144 and finished with 52 kills, eight aces, 58 digs and 12 blocks overall.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CST with a match at Providence.
NOTES: The match was the 100th five-set match at Creighton for Kirsten Bernthal Booth, and CU's 65th victory in those marathon matches ... Creighton has won started 5-0 in league play (or better) for the sixth time in the past nine seasons ... Creighton improved to 17-3 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth in conference road openers, including nine straight wins ... Creighton has now won 16 straight regular-season BIG EAST matches since losing at UConn last season ... Creighton improved to 16-203 all-time when trailing a match 0-2, and 14-104 under Booth. It was CU's first comeback from down 0-2 since Jan. 31, 2021 at South Dakota and first such road victory in BIG EAST play since Nov. 20, 2015 at Georgetown ... Creighton is 18-7 in its last 25 true road matches to go five sets ... Five of Creighton's last six matches played outside D.J. Sokol Arena have gone five sets.
Team Stats
CU
UConn
Kills
63
52
Errors
20
29
Attempts
149
160
Hitting %
.289
.144
Points
80.0
72.0
Assists
60
50
Aces
5
8
Blocks
12.0
12.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
11
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
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