Pioneers defeat Butler to win Denver Invitational

Box Score

Box Score

DENVER Behind a career-high 24 kills from tournament MVP Kellie Savage (Arvada, Colo. / Arvada West), the University of Denver volleyball team defeated Butler 3-1 (15-10, 15-11, 14-16, 15-9) to win its Denver Invitational at Hamilton Gymnasium on Saturday night. With the win, Denver finished the weekend 3-0, has won six of its last seven matches and now stands 6-5 overall. Butler falls to 7-4.

For the second straight weekend, both Savage and senior OH Sarah Kaye (Aurora, Colo. / Smoky Hill) were all-tournament selections. Others named to the Denver Invitational All-Tournament Team include Keely Norris and Kylie Galbraith from Butler, Fresno State's Malia Malu and Shannon O'Connor of Marshall. The all-tournament plaudits are Savage's third overall in three tournaments this season (Miami University/JustBalls.com Classic, Pioneer Classic, Denver Invitational).

Kaye added 12 digs for her second double-double of the weekend, while junior setter Clarice Golesh (Lakewood, Colo. / Mullen) had 15 digs and four blocks to go with 45 assists.

"Even though it took us four games, we did a great job of coming back when Butler won the third game," said Denver head coach Beth Kuwata. "Of all our people, Kellie is obviously a terminating player. She kept getting the ball set tigher and tighter tonight and kept putting them down inside the line. With our current injury situation, we will obviously continue to rely on our outside hitters."

Fresno State finished third by virtue of its 3-0 sweep (15-9, 15-7, 15-6) of Marshall in the night's third match. Shauna McQuaid had 16 kills for the Bulldogs (7-4) and Lindsay Closs added 14 kills. Sara Boyles had nine kills for Marshall (2-9).

Earlier in the day, Kaye notched a match-high-tying 11 kills while Savage added 10 kills in a 3-0 (15-12, 15-2, 15-5) sweep of Marshall.

In the morning's first match, Butler (7-3) handed Fresno State (6-4) its second straight five-game loss after Denver pulled out a thriller against FSU Friday night. Andrea King led BU with a match-high 18 kills.

Denver continues its 11-match homestand on Tuesday when the Pioneers host Colorado at 7 p.m. at Hamilton Gymnasium.

2000 DENVER INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
        Name    Pos.    Team        Malia Malu      OH/S    Fresno State        Shannon O'Connor        OH      Marshall        Kylie Galbraith S       Butler        Lynze Lysen     OH      Butler        Sarah Kaye      OH      DENVERMost Valuable Player:   Kellie Savage   OH      DENVER
DENVER VOLLEYBALLDenver Invitational at Denver, Colo. (Hamilton Gymnasium)MATCH 3: Butler 3, Fresno State 2        1       2       3       4       5Butler (7-3)    8       15      15      7       15Fresno State (6-4)      15      9       2       15      7
BUTLER: Kills 54 (Andrea King 18); Digs 49 (Kylie Galbraith 13); Blocks 12.0(King 7); Assists 46 (Galbraith 43).FRESNO STATE: Kills 49 (Shauna McQuaid 12); Digs 61 (Taneisha Tilque 12);Blocks 7.0 (McQuaid 3); Assists 47 (Chelsy Duley 33).T: 1:42. A: N/A.
MATCH 4: DENVER 3, Marshall 0        1       2       3Marshall (2-8)  12      2       5DENVER (5-5)    15      15      15
MARSHALL: Kills 29 (Wendy Williams 11); Digs 42 (Jodi Fick 13); Blocks 1.0(Sara Boyles 1); Assists 28 (Andrea Kastein 27).DENVER: Kills 36 (Sarah Kaye 11, Kellie Savage 10); Digs 41 (Jenn Karas 12);Blocks 7.0 (Clarice Golesh 4); Assists 33 (Golesh 29).T: 1:20. A: 96.
MATCH 5: Fresno State 3, Marshall 0        1       2       3Marshall (2-9)  9       7       6Fresno State (7-4)      15      15      15
MARSHALL: Kills 35 (Sara Boyles 9); Digs 36 (Heidi Kuethe 13); Blocks 7.0(Boyles 5); Assists 33 (Kastein 27).FRESNO STATE: Kills 55 (Shauna McQuaid 16); Digs 39 (Christy Burnett 13);Blocks 8.0 (Kara Verwey 4, Lindsay Closs 4); Assists 45 (Chelsy Duley 36).T: 1:08. A: N/A.
MATCH 6: DENVER 3, Butler 1        1       2       3       4Butler (7-4)    10      11      16      9DENVER (6-5)    15      15      14      15
BUTLER: Kills 56 (Keely Norris 17); Digs 55 (Amanda Matthews 9); Blocks 9.0(Andrea King 5); Assists 51 (Kylie Galbraith 44).DENVER: Kills 62 (Kellie Savage 24, Sarah Kaye 11); Digs 64 (Clarice Golesh15, Kaye 12); Blocks 9.0 (Golesh 4, Kristin Savage 4); Assists 56 (Golesh45).T: 1:50. A: 140.

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