University of Washington
UMBC
Huskies Top Retrievers In Doubleheader Opener
August 27, 2011 | Volleyball
Aug. 27, 2011
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LONG BEACH, Calif. - In the first of two matches today, the seventh-ranked Huskies notched a straight-set victory over UMBC at the Walter Pyramid. Washington (2-0) will try to win the season-opening Long Beach State Mizuno Invite tonight against 22nd-ranked LBSU in a match scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Huskies swept to the 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 victory today with efficient hitting and strong blocking. The Huskies hit .395 while holding the Retrievers to .129, and UW outblocked UMBC, 8.0-1.0. Junior Kylin Muñoz led the Huskies with 10 kills and senior Bianca Rowland hit .556 with six kills and five blocks. Sophomore Jenna Orlandini added 11 digs to the defensive effort.
The only change to the starting lineup today was at setter, where senior Evan Sanders made her first start after coming in as a sub in the second set on Friday. Bianca Rowland and Lauren Barfield started in the middle, Kylin Muñoz, Krista Vansant and Summer Ross at outsides, and Jenna Orlandini at libero.
The Retrievers got the first point of the match before senior Lauren Barfield got the Huskies going with her first kill, and a UMBC miscue made it 2-1 Dawgs. Two more errors were followed by the first kill for Ross to make it 5-2. UMBC struggled to get the ball in and called timeout trailing 4-8. Vansant then accounted for three straight Husky points as UW stretched the lead to 13-8. A block by Vansant and Rowland capped three straight UW points and UMBC took its last timeout at 19-12. Two more kills went Vansant's way late to get to set point, and Ross then finished it off with a kill at 25-15. The Huskies hit .480 for the set with five kills from Vansant on eight swings (.625). Sanders had 13 assists in the first frame and Orlandini had four digs.
Washington went on an early six-point run in the second set to force a Retrievers timeout. A Barfield kill in the middle started things, followed by a rejection by Rowland and Ross, and a kill by Ross off an overpass. Muñoz put one off the block and down on the left side, then Rowland got a kill after a UMBC miscue and it was 7-2 Huskies. Ross then got on a service roll, picking up an ace and forcing a bad set on the next serve, and the fourth Muñoz kill of the set made it 12-3. Vansant slammed down an overpass by the Retrievers and then Sanders dumped in a point for a 15-5 edge. The teams traded points until Rowland stepped up with a solo stuff in the middle, and Orlandini followed with an ace for a 20-8 lead. Then a right side kill from Ross prompted the last UMBC timeout. The Retrievers had their best stretch with four straight points, but Muñoz ended it with a kill. Vansant and Rowland teamed for a block to get to set point and a UMBC error ended it at 25-14. UW outhit UMBC, .462-.154 in the set, led by six kills from Muñoz and three blocks by Rowland.
Nogueras came in to set in the third set and sophomore Gabbi Parker and freshman Kaleigh Nelson both saw time, as did junior Kelcey Dunaway in the middle. Vansant started the set though with another kill, assisted by Nogueras, and back-to-back Barfield swings made it 4-1 early. Orlandini had her second ace and then Muñoz and Rowland teamed for a block. A Retriever misfire made it 8-2 Huskies and UMBC needed time. Washington quickly assembled another 6-0 run to pull away. Kelly Holford, playing in her hometown, started six serves in a row with an ace. Dunaway had two block assists in the middle part of the set and then added an ace of her own to make it 17-7 and force another UMBC timeout. Nogueras then jumped up for a solo block after the break. Nelson's first kill of the day made it 23-12, and Muñoz's 10th kill brought up match point. Dunaway ended it at 25-15 with her first kill on her first swing of the match. The three Husky middle blockers combined to post six kills on eight swings in the set and UW had four blocks in the frame to hold UMBC to .094 hitting.
The Huskies will have a challenge tonight at 7 p.m. when they are back on the court to face the host Long Beach State 49ers, ranked 22nd, and winners of their first two matches in straight sets.
