DENVER The University of Denver volleyball team (13-2, 2-0 SBC) extended its winning streak to a season-high seven matches as it defeated visiting New Orleans (8-5, 1-1 SBC) 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 32-30) in Hamilton Gymnasium on Friday night.

 

“I think it was important for us to get off to a good start this weekend,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “We’ve been talking about coming out and establishing a tone in game one and then continuing to manage the match. We need to continue to understand our style of volleyball, play our game and play up our strengths.”

 

Senior outside hitter Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led the Denver with 13 kills, 12 digs and four block assists. Fellow senior Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.) added eight kills on 12 total attacks for a .667 attack percentage.

 

Junior setter Clare Maxwell (Western Springs, Ill.) tallied 31 assists for her 12th 30+ assist match of the season.

 

New Orleans was led by Dobrilla Kovacevic, who finished with 13 kills, while Lindsey Loyd added 12 kills and five digs for the Lady Privateers.

 

The Pioneers took the first set 25-17 in commanding fashion. Junior Emmy Davidsmeyer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) came to the line to serve with DU leading by two (8-6) and rattled off six serves to put Denver up 13-6. UNO twice came within five at 15-10 and 17-12, but the Pioneers did not relinquish and eventually grabbed the first set as Benson ended the ended it with her fourth kill of the night.

 

The second set saw New Orleans climb to an 8-6 lead before Denver fought back to gain its largest advantage of the set at 19-14. UNO’s Kovacevic closed the gap to one at 22-21, but the Pioneers finished with the 25-22 victory.

 

“We came out and played our game in the first and second sets,” Benson said. “In game three, UNO came out much harder and gave us a good run. I think it says a lot about our team that we were able to come out with the 32-30 win.”

 

Denver ended the match in thrilling fashion as both teams battled at the net, extending the set to 32-30. The back-and-forth action resulted in 22 tied scores. Benson led all players with eight kills in the third set.

 

Tied 23-23, New Orleans took a timeout. The Pioneers then took a 24-23 lead on a kill by Benson, but a Denver error moved the score to 24-24. Another Benson kill again gave DU a one-point advantage at 25-24, but UNO responded with a kill by Loyd to tie the set at 25.

 

Denver and New Orleans exchanged errors to get to a 26-26 tie. Loyd recorded another kill for UNO to give the Lady Privateers the lead, but a service error gave the Pioneers the ball tied at 27.

 

The teams again exchanged errors again to move the score to 28 all. A kill and an error by UNO’s Maria Szivos sent the serve to sophomore Kacie Wikerak (Crystal Lake, Ill.), with the score tied at 29.

 

New Orleans then recorded an attack error to give Denver yet another chance to end the match, but Szivos handed UNO the advantage and the ball back. However, a service error gave DU the 31-30 lead before Maxwell recorded the final kill for the 32-30 Pioneer victory.

 

The win keeps Denver unbeaten at home for an 8-0 record in Hamilton Gymnasium. The victory also marked the Pioneers’ seventh three-set win of the season.

 

Denver continues its three-match SBC home stand against the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Saturday, Oct. 4, in Hamilton Gymnasium at 7 p.m. The Pioneers close out the weekend against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday with another 7 p.m. match.

 

- PIONEERS -