Nov. 14, 2003

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS - Led by junior Kelli Rudelson's (Bellaire, Texas) career-high 26 kills and a career-high tying 20 from senior Andrea Baron (West Vancouver, B.C.), the University of Denver volleyball team overcame a 2-1 deficit for a come-from-behind 3-2 win (30-25, 26-30, 28-30, 30-27, 15-10) over New Orleans Friday night at Lakefront Arena. The Pioneers improved to 17-13, 8-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. New Orleans drops to 10-20, 4-10.

Rudelson's 26 kills were the most for the Pioneers this season and one short of the school record. Heidi Shelton holds the record with 27 against Fort Hays State on Oct. 21, 1994. Rudelson also recorded a .537 hitting percentage with just four errors in 41 total attacks in the match.

Baron recorded 20 kills in a match for the second time this season and the fourth time in her career. It also marked the first time all season two Pioneers recorded 20 or more kills in the same match.

Senior Jen Karas (Granby, Colo.) led all players with 26 digs in the match, the second-most total for the Pioneers this season. Denver had four players register double digits in digs.

Denver won the opening game with a match-high 19 kills and a .200 hitting percentage. After dropping the second and third games, the Pioneers came back to win the fourth game 30-27 despite getting outkilled 19-15 by New Orleans. The Pioneers won the fifth game 15-10 by holding the Privateers to just a .043 hitting percentage and improved to 6-5 in five-game matches this season.

"Our two middle had probably one of the best combined nights we've had here in a long time," head coach Beth Kuwata said. "They probably played some of the best volleyball they've ever played and our floor defense was much better. We just had some solid play when it counted and that was probably the difference. This was a match we wanted to win and we gutted it out and played our best volleyball when it counted."

The Pioneers are next in action tomorrow night when they take on South Alabama in the regular season finale at 6 p.m. MST.