Nov. 2, 2002

Box Score

DENVER - The University of Denver volleyball team had 53 kills and used a .238 hitting percentage to end an eight-match Sun Belt Conference losing streak Saturday night with a 3-0 (30-28, 32-30, 30-27) sweep of Arkansas-Little Rock in Hamilton Gymnasium. Denver recorded its second sweep in a match this season and improves to 4-17 overall, 2-8 in conference play. Arkansas-Little Rock drops to 11-11, 7-4.

The Pioneers opened the match strong, hitting on a match-high .444 percentage in the first game and winning 30-28. Denver had 18 kills in the game and just two attacking errors and were led by junior Jen Karas' (Granby, Colo.) six kills and no attacking errors. In each of Denver's four wins this season the Pioneers have captured the first game of the match.

Four Pioneers recorded double digits in kills in the match led by Karas' match-high 14. Junior Andrea Baron (West Vancouver, B.C.) had 12 and junior Olympia Hughes (Casper, Wyo.) and sophomore Mary England (Castle Rock, Colo.) each had 10. Karas also had 11 digs defensively for the Pioneers.

"It was a good solid match, we were balanced and everyone contributed," head coach Beth Kuwata said. "Jen (Karas) had a great match both defensively and hitting-wise. But I think we controlled the net well and kept their big hitter (Ivana Kuzmic) from doing too much damage which we said was a key to being able to beat them. But it was a win we needed and deserved. I'm happy for the team because they come out here day after day and work hard and tonight they were rewarded."

The Pioneers had 10 total blocks and six service aces in the match. Baron added five more blocks to her team-leading total of 86 this season.

Denver is next in action when it travels to North Texas next Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m.