Box Score

DENTON, Texas Juniors Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.) and Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Ill.) recorded 14 kills apiece as the University of Denver volleyball team swept North Texas, 3-0 (30-24, 30-17, 30-28) at the Mean Green Volleyball Center. The win is the eighth consecutive for the Pioneers.

“Of all things, this trip has not been easy,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “The most impressive thing is that we’ve stayed focused on the task of winning on this road trip. We haven’t been pretty or even perfect but we’ve competed and we’ve won. It’s been a great effort on our part to be 6-0 after the last two weekends.”

Game three of the match was the tightest for the Pioneers (16-9, 10-2 SBC). Denver got out to a 10-1 lead to begin the frame but North Texas (9-17, 5-7 SBC) came back to tie the game at 16-16. The Mean Green took the next point of the game and DU tied it up on a kill by senior Alyta Baris (Belvidere, Ill.). The Pioneers took a three-point lead at 22-19 on a UNT error but the Mean Green scored six unanswered to take a three-point lead. Benson recorded back-to-back kills to knot the game at 27-27, forcing North Texas to call a timeout. Out of the break the two teams exchanged points to keep the game tie. Porter ripped off a kill and a North Texas error gave DU the 30-28 win. Porter and Benson combined for 10 kills in the game as the Pioneers held UNT to a .043 hitting percentage.

The Pioneers came out slow in the first game of the match until back-to-back kills by Benson, followed by back-to-back UNT errors gave Denver a 23-17 lead. DU kept the pressure on but North Texas rallied to get within four. The Pioneers went on to win the game, 30-24. Denver had its best hitting percentage of the match, .400, and Benson recorded six kills in the frame.

DU dominated the second game of the match as the Pioneers led by as many as 15 points, sparked by 6-1 and 6-0 Denver runs. DU went on to win the game, 30-17. The Pioneers capitalized on 14 UNT errors, as the Mean Green had its worst hitting percentage game of the match, .000. Denver had 15 kills in the game.

Freshman setter Kresson Vreeman (Raymond, Minn.) had four kills and 46 assists in the game, while freshman libero Kacie Wikierak (Crystal Lake, Ill.) had a match-high 18 digs.

Denver’s road trip continues at UALR on Friday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.