Sept. 6, 2003

Box Score

DENVER - The University of Denver volleyball team split its final two games Saturday in its own University of Denver Invitational, defeating Miami of Ohio 3-2 before falling to rival Colorado in the deciding match of the tournament, 3-0. The Buffaloes were the lone team to finish the weekend without a blemish (3-0) and took first place over Denver (2-2), Illinois State (2-2), Miami of Ohio (2-1) and Central Florida (1-3).

Denver won its first match of the day by a 3-2 score over Miami, as the Pioneers recorded a .298 attacking percentage in earning the team's fifth win of the season. Last season, the Pioneers didn't earn their fifth win until November 8. Three Pioneers recorded double digits in kills, led by a career-high 19 from junior Kelli Rudelson (Bellaire, Texas), who came off the bench and sparked the Pioneers with easily the best match of her career. Rudelson also recorded a career-high .531 attack percentage, as she had just two errors along with her 19 kills on 32 chances to lead Denver. Sophomore Kristin Halt (St. Charles, Ill.) recored 15 kills and freshman Lisa Hunter (St. Louis, Mo.) added 13 for the Pioneers.

The final match of the tournament pitted Denver against Colorado, whom the Pioneers have defeated just once in six matches. The Buffs grabbed the first game 30-23 and held off the Pioneers in the final two games by identical 30-25 scores to hand Denver just its second defeat of the season and first by sweep. Halt and senior Olympia Hughes (Casper, Wyo.) were the lone Pioneers to record double digits in kills as each had 10. Tournament Most Valuable Player Nicole Carr and all-tournament team member Monique Gerlach led the Buffs with 13 kills apiece.

"I think overall that this was probably our most difficult weekend and if you'd have told me before it started that we'd come out with a 2-2 record I'd have been pretty pleased with that," head coach Beth Kuwata said. "(Against Colorado) We just couldn't stop their middle attack and they just kept the pressure on us the entire match. We didn't do a good job of responding to that pressure. But we're in a pretty good place right now considering last year, and I think we're going in the right direction."

In addition to Carr and Gerlach, the Buffs also had Austin Zimmerman make the all-tournament team The rest of the all-tournament team was Halt and junior Mary England (Castle Rock, Colo.) (Denver); Emily Kabbes and Kelly Rikli (Illinois State); Emily Watts (UCF); Tara Buroker (Miami).

Denver is next in action this Wednesday, Sept. 10 when they take on Wyoming in Hamilton Gymnasium. The match begins at 7 p.m.