Nov. 9, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF volleyball team was looking for lightning to strike twice against East Carolina Sunday afternoon after trailing two sets to none, but fell just short, 3-1 (17-25, 28-31, 25-14, 17-25), at Minges Coliseum. Erin Campbell (Kansas City, Mo.) paced the Knights in the contest, posting 16 kills and 12 digs for her 11th double-double of the season, while Janine Williams (Gainesville, Fla.) added 11 kills.
In the teams' first meeting this season, the Black and Gold dropped the opening two sets to the Pirates before rallying for a 3-2 victory at The Venue at UCF on Oct. 5.
The loss dropped UCF to 14-15 on the season and 6-9 in Conference USA, while East Carolina improved to 13-17 overall and 3-12 in league play.
Despite falling 25-17 in the opening set, the Knights continued to battle in set No. 2. After trailing the entire set, a kill from freshman Renele Forde (Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago) evened the set, 23-23. The two squads challenged each other hard, with UCF taking its first lead of the set, 26-25, thanks to a Williams kill and an attack error by the Pirates. Both teams refused to give up, evening the set four times after that point. A solo block from Lauren Williams (Lake Mary, Fla.) tied the set at 29-29, before East Carolina posted a kill and a block to take a two set lead heading into the locker room.
Lauren Williams finished the match with 10 kills and two blocks, while Forde contributed five kills and two blocks for UCF.
A talk from head coach Todd Dagenais during the break gave the Knights a spark heading into the third set, as the Black and Gold took a commanding 11-6 lead and never looked back. East Carolina pulled to within six late, 20-14, but that was the closest it would get to catching the Knights as UCF went on a 5-0 run which was capped off by one of two service aces from Lauren Rosenthal (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the sequence.
Rosenthal matched her team-high with four service aces in the match, while adding 28 assists and seven digs.
UCF and East Carolina traded leads through the first 14 points of the set, 7-7, before the Pirates took the lead and control of the set with five-straight points, a margin that proved to be too much for the Knights to overcome. East Carolina maintained its lead and went on to clinch the set, 25-17.
Freshman Kathleen Curry (Geneva, Fla.) led the Knights in digs with 16 and Stephanie Serna (San Antonio, Texas) and Andrea Youngblood added eight digs apiece.
The UCF volleyball team will honor its two seniors, Heppert and Serna, in its final home match of the season on Saturday, Nov. 15, when it hosts Southern Miss at The Venue at UCF at 7 p.m. For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Short Box Score (Match)
UCF vs East Carolina (Nov 09, 2008 at Greenville, N.C.)
East Carolina def. UCF 25-17,31-29,14-25,25-17
UCF (14-15, 6-9 C-USA) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Campbell, Erin 16-0-1;
Williams, Janine 11-0-2; Williams, Lauren 10-0-2; Rex, Sara 6-0-2;
Serna, Stephanie 5-0-2; Forde, Renele 5-0-2; Rosenthal, Lauren 0-4-0;
Curry, Kathleen 0-1-0; Youngblood, Andrea 0-1-1; Totals 53-6-8.0.
(Assists) - Rosenthal, Lauren 28; Youngblood, Andrea 18. (Dig leaders)
- Curry, Kathleen 16; Campbell, Erin 12; Youngblood, Andrea 8; SERNA, Stephanie 8
East Carolina (13-17, 3-12 C-USA) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Stephanie
Turner 8-1-3; Melissa Zentner 8-0-2; Erica Banning 8-2-8; Lizzy Bruin
7-0-3; Hannah Fenker 5-1-2; Britney Roper 5-0-1; Amanda Lutzow 4-0-1;
Trish Monroe 0-1-0; Totals 45-5-14.0. (Assists) - Hannah Fenker 36.
(Dig leaders) - Trish Monroe 22; Hannah Fenker 12; Nicole Jones 11;
Amanda Lutzow 11; Stephanie Turner 8
Site: Greenville, N.C. (Minges Coliseum)
Date: Nov 09, 2008 Attend: 401 Time: 1:50
Referees: Ronnie Mutter, Ken Matz
-UCF-