Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- In a match pitting the leaders of the Sun Belt Conference East and West Divisions, the University of Denver volleyball team upset Western Kentucky on its home floor in five games (16-14, 14-16, 7-15, 15-9, 15-13) Sunday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena. The win is Denver's fifth straight in conference play and improves the Pioneers' record to 12-9 and 6-2 in the SBC to move Denver into first place in the league. Western Kentucky falls to 17-6, 6-2.
Junior setter Clarice Golesh (Lakewood, Colo. / Mullen HS) recorded her first career triple-double, setting career highs with 63 assists and 11 blocks; she also had 12 digs and was just one kill shy (nine) of posting an amazing quadruple-double. She also led a Pioneer attack that slammed a season-high 78 kills.
Sophomore outside hitter Lulu Sewell (Gardnerville, Nev. / Douglas HS) shattered her career high by pounding a team-high 23 kills. She also tied her career high in digs with 17; both previous bests came in Friday's win over Middle Tennessee. Freshman middle blocker Olympia Hughes (Casper, Wyo. / Natrona County HS) earned her first career double-double by career-highs with 15 kills and 11 blocks; she also hit a match-high .429 on the afternoon.
Junior MB Kristin Savage (Arvada, Colo. / Arvada West HS) shattered her career high with 22 digs, and her twin sister, outside hitter Kellie, had a double-double with 16 kills and 15 digs.
"Like I said two weeks ago, every match is a big match when you get to this point in the season, but it was especially big to beat the other division's leader on their home floor," said head coach Beth Kuwata. "I'm extremely proud of how well we played. Western runs a super-fast offense, and we knew our middles were going to have to work hard to get outside for the block, and they did it. The team played great defense in the fifth game."
Western took a 12-10 lead in the fifth game on a kill by Natalie Furry, but the Pioneers scored five of the last six points - punctuated by a final kill from Sewell - to put the match away.
The Pioneers return home for three matches next week, starting with a 7 p.m. non-conference contest vs. Air Force this Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Hamilton Gymnasium.
DENVER VOLLEYBALLat Bowling Green, Ky. (E.A. Diddle Arena)DENVER 3, Western Kentucky 2 1 2 3 4 5DENVER (12-9, 6-2 Sun Belt) 16 14 7 15 15Western Kentucky (17-6, 6-2 Sun Belt) 14 16 15 9 13DENVER: Kills 78 (Lulu Sewell 23, Kellie Savage 16, Olympia Hughes 15); Digs 97 (Kristin Savage 22, Sewell 17, Jenn Karas 16, Ke. Savage 15, Ashlynn Andrus 14, Clarice Golesh 12); Blocks 22.0 (Golesh 11, Hughes 11); Assists 74 (Golesh 63).WESTERN KENTUCKY: Kills 93 (Tara Thomas 24, Melissa Starck 22, Natalie Furry 21, Andria Humpert 12); Digs 117 (Beaven Hill 28, Thomas 24, Starck 22); Blocks 6.0 (Jessica Willard 3); Assists 89 (Sara Noe 87).T: 2:25. A: 137.
