Freshman Kacie Wikierak (Crystal Lake, Ill.) broke the Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Tournament four-game match record with 34 digs, as the No. 2-seed University of Denver volleyball team fended off No. 7-seeded North Texas, 3-1 (30-21, 30-32, 30-19, 30-20) on Thursday night in Hamilton Gymnasium. The Pioneers (22-11) advance to semifinals, while North Texas's (12-21) season comes to an end.

 

"We hung in with our good ball handling and playing good defense, which is what we are known for," head coach Beth Kuwata said. "Those things helped us find our offensive rhythm. Kim (Muller) really stepped up offensively for us when we needed her to. She didn't start out overly aggressive but she raised her level as the match went on."

 

The Pioneers led most of game four, looking to close out the match. Leading 22-15, Denver reeled off a 5-0 run to take a 27-16 lead. North Texas would not let DU go on to the win, staving off three match-points, but Denver prevailed, 30-20. Senior Kim Muller (Ballwin, Mo.) was 7-of-15 in the frame, hitting .467, as the Pioneers hit .455 in the game as a team.

 

In the beginning of game two the Pioneers and Mean Green stayed close. UNT went on a 4-1 run to take a 15-12 edge. North Texas pushed out to a 20-16 lead but DU went on a 5-1 run to knot the game at 21-21. The Mean Green pushed its lead back to four on an attack error by junior Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.). UNT continued to hold the advantage, but Denver got within one point at 28-29 on a kill by Porter but it wasn't enough as North Texas recorded the next point to win the game, 30-28. Denver committed 15 errors in the frame and hit .107. Muller recorded eight kills in the set and Wikierak had 10 digs.

 

The Pioneers kicked off the first game with a 5-0 run, taking a 7-2 lead and forcing the Mean Green to take an early timeout. DU's run continued out of the timeout, extending its lead to 10-3 before UNT broke the run on a kill by Rachel Raley. The Pioneers pushed their lead to double-digits when Freshman Kresson Vreeman (Raymond, Minn.) fed junior Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to put DU up 17-7. Denver pushed its lead to 12 when Muller registered a kill. North Texas's 3-0 run, which cut DU's lead back to single-digits, was halted as Muller recorded her fifth kill of the game. North Texas pulled within five but DU went on to win the frame 30-21. Muller led the way for Denver with five kills and three total blocks in the game, while Wikierak had 10 of DU's 14 digs. North Texas had 14 errors in the game.

 

Tied 7-7 to begin the third game, the Pioneers scored four unanswered, including two kills by Benson, to take an 11-7 lead and forcing the Mean Green to take a timeout. North Texas won the point out of the break but back-to-back kills by Porter pushed DU's lead to 13-8. The Pioneers pushed its lead to seven before the Mean Green clawed back into the contest getting within four at 20-16, forcing Coach Kuwata to take DU's first timeout of the game. Denver finished off the game on a 10-3 run, as Muller tacked two more kills on to her total, and DU won the frame, 30-19. Benson had seven kills and hit .545 in the game. Vreeman recorded 16 assists in the frame.

 

Wikierak set a new personal-best in addition to breaking the record. Muller led all players with 23 kills, hitting .489 and contributing five blocks. Benson and Porter had 12 kills apiece and Benson recorded 12 digs. Senior Alyta Baris (Belvidere, Ill.) added 10 kills and eight digs.

 

The tournament continues tomorrow as No. 1-seed Middle Tennessee starts the day with No. 5-seed Florida International at 5 p.m., while No. 3-seed Western Kentucky University and DU will take the floor at 7:30 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.

 

"Tomorrow is going to have to be significantly better on our part," Kuwata said. "When we played WKU earlier in the season we couldn't stop each other offensively. Both of us will be able to score but whoever defends the best will win."