Aug. 31, 2001

Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The University of Denver volleyball team posted its first benchmark win of the 2001 season, upsetting 2000 NCAA Tournament participant and Mid-American Conference Champion Western Michigan, 3-2 (33-35, 30-27, 26-30, 30-23, 15-12), Friday night in the L&L Food Centers / Michigan State Volleyball Classic at Jenison Field House. Denver starts the season 2-0 for the first time since 1997 with the win.

Sophomore outside hitter Jenn Karas (Granby, Colo. / Middle Park HS), who was sidelined over the weekend with appendicitis-like symptoms that revealed an ovarian cyst, took her first full swings of the week today and pounded a career-high 14 kills. Denver was led offensively by sophomore Andrea Baron (West Vancouver, British Columbia / West Vancouver HS), who slammed a career-high 20 kills and added six blocks at the net, including five kills and two blocks in the decisive fifth game. Senior setter Clarice Golesh-Burch (Lakewood, Colo. / Mullen HS) nearly posted a triple-double, dishing out 57 assists and hitting a career-high 13 kills. She also added seven digs.

Game one was a close affair throughout, with the Pioneers holding a slim lead for most of the game. After Western Michigan took a timeout down 27-26, Denver won the next two points to force game point. The Broncos won the next three points to extend the game, and after see-saw play for the next few points, WMU put together back-to-back kills to win the opener, 35-33. In that first game, both teams hit better than .300.

In the second game, the Pioneers were forced to take their first timeout after falling behind 6-2, but fought back to tie the game at 11-all on the strength of three straight service aces from sophomore right-side hitter Olympia Hughes (Casper, Wyo. / Natrona County HS). Denver fell behind again, 21-16, and again to 25-20, before scoring 10 of the last 12 points to take the second game, 30-27.

Game three found the Pioneers in yet another early deficit, and while it took longer to get out, the Pioneers still fought back to within 29-26 before succumbing.

Denver came out of the fourth-game gate smoking, as the Pioneers staked out to an 11-4 lead. After Western Michigan pulled to within three at 26-23 before scoring the final four points of the game on an assisted block by Hughes and Baron, a kill by Baron, a service ace by junior Lulu Sewell (Gardnerville, Nev. / Douglas HS), and a block by Baron and Karas.

"This is obviously a big win for us. One of our goals for the season is to beat ranked opponents and teams that are getting votes, and the only way to get respect from those teams is to beat them," said head coach Beth Kuwata. "To say I'm pleased is an understatement. I have to give credit to Mike Sanders, our strength and conditioning coach, for getting the team in shape. We came back 65 minutes after playing a tough match this afternoon and played five games at a high level. And For Jenn Karas to have the match she did after not being able to participate at 100 percent this week is a testament to the fight this team has."

The Pioneers continue play in the tournament Saturday morning when they play Dayton at 9 a.m. EDT, then complete play for the weekend against the host Spartans at 1 p.m.

DENVER VOLLEYBALLat East Lansing, Mich. (Jenison Field House)DENVER 3, Western Michigan 2    1   2   3   4   5Western Michigan (1-1)  35  27  30  23  12DENVER (2-0)    33  30  26  30  15
DENVER: Kills 81 (Baron 20, Ke. Savage 16, Karas 14, Golesh-Burch 13), Digs 54(Hughes 16), Blocks 12 (Baron 6), Assists 63 (Golesh-Burch 57).WMU: Kills 64 (Pope 15, Ritter 14, Fry 13, Malone 12), Digs 62 (Sillmon 14,Malone 13, Ritter 10), Blocks 13 (Sillmon 6), Assists 48 (Ritter 45).T: 2:16. A: N/A.