Box Score DENVER -- Senior outside hitter Sarah Kaye (Aurora, Colo. / Smoky Hill) and junior OH Kellie Savage (Arvada, Colo. / Arvada West) each posted double-digit kills and digs to lead the University of Denver volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep (15-9, 15-9, 15-9) of Drake in nonconference action Sunday afternoon at Hamilton Gymnasium. With the win, Denver improves to 3-5 while Drake falls to 1-7.
Kaye led all players with 13 kills and added 10 digs, while Savage added 12 kills and 11 digs. Over Denver's five-match weekend - in which the Pioneers were 3-2 - Kaye finished with 71 kills in 17 games (4.18 kills per game) while Savage had 61 (3.59 kpg). In addition, sophomore middle blocker Laurie Young (Fort Collins, Colo. / Fort Collins) hit .289 in four matches and averaged 1.79 blocks per game.
Young finished with three kills in eight swings (.375 hitting efficiency) and had a match-high-tying six blocks on the afternoon. Junior setter Clarice Golesh (Lakewood, Colo. / Mullen) distributed 31 assists and also added six blocks. Freshman Jenn Karas (Granby, Colo. / Middle Park) made her first collegiate start and led all players with 12 digs.
"Today was a big match for our confidence," said head coach Beth Kuwata. "One of the best things about the way we played today was that we were able to get people like Jenn Karas some significant playing time. This is obviously the way we wanted to finish the weekend. Having a winning record for the five matches this weekend was important to us."
The Pioneers continue their 11-match homestand by hosting the Denver Invitational this weekend. The Pioneers face Fresno State on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m., Marshall at 1:30 p.m. and Butler at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. All matches are in Hamilton Gymnasium.
DENVER VOLLEYBALLat Denver, Colo. (Hamilton Gymnasium)Denver 3, Drake 1 1 2 3Drake (1-7) 9 9 9DENVER (3-5) 15 15 15DRAKE: Kills 41 (Kim Bahr 8); Digs 56 (Briana Kemna 9, Lauren Halt 9);Blocks 3.0 (Kari Meyering 3); Assists 34 (Kelly Campbell 18).DENVER: Kills 40 (Sarah Kaye 13, Kellie Savage 12); Digs 54 (Jenn Karas12,Savage 11, Kaye 10); Blocks 12.0 (Clarice Golesh 6, Laurie Young 6)Assists35 (Golesh 31).Time: 1:23. Attendance: 113.
