Final Stats

Box Score | Detailed Box | By Set | Play-by-Play | Season Stats

SAN FRANCISCO - Denver volleyball kicked off the 2015 season with a 3-0 sweep of Bakersfield in the opening match of the San Francisco Invitational.

Sophomore Kayla Principato (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) led the Pioneers with 14 kills in the match for a .565 hitting percentage, more than doubling her previous career high of five kills. Although the Pioneers recorded 16 fewer attack attempts, Denver outperformed Bakersfield in kills 41-38 and hitting percentage .330 to .198. DU also had fewer errors in every category.

"We had a lot of great performances," head coach Jesse Mahoney said. "Both setters played well, Ruth [Okoye] blocked at a high level. Kayla Principato was unstoppable, especially in set three."

The Pioneers and Roadrunners battled to begin the match, with 16 ties in the set. Bakersfield took a three-point lead into the first set point, but a kill from Principato sparked a Denver rally.

Piyusha Boteju (Euless,Texas) served the final four points of the Denver win in the first set. A block by Ruth Okoye (Aurora, Colo.) and freshman Becca Latham (Austin, Texas) tied the score at 24, and ultimately a block by Okoye and Moni Corrujedo (El Paso, Texas) decided the set, 26-24 in the Pioneers' favor.

"We were a little tight to start the match, and I thought Bakersfield played well in the first set," Mahoney said. "Piyusha came in with us down 22-24 and served lights out to save the set, and that really propelled us through the rest of the match. Once we relaxed and played loose our offense started to click, and we were able to build big leads. "

Denver led Bakersfield nearly the entire second set after the dramatic comeback in the first set. The Pioneers registered a .500 hitting percentage to the Roadrunners' .185, capitalizing on Principato's six kills on seven attempts. Denver won the set 25-17, closing out the second with a 10-4 run.

The final set was the most dominant performance by the Pioneers. A 7-1 run in the middle of the set propelled the Pioneers to 20-11. Denver went up 23-13 for its largest lead in match before a kill by Sarah Schmid (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) brought the set to the final score of 25-17.

Denver's offense featured stellar performances for a .330 attack percentage in the match. Principato earned 11 kills on her final 13 attempts, without an error. Cassie Baird (Indianapolis, Ind.) recorded five kills on 12 attempts, including three kills in the final set. Latham, in her first match in a Denver uniform, also had five kills, with three in the first set. Another freshman, Emma Willis (La Jolla, Calif.), made an impact in her first match with two kills and a 1.000 hitting percentage.

Setter Monique Domme (Colorado Springs, Colo.) earned a career high 24 assists in the match, with Boteju adding 13 assists for the Pioneers. Nola Basey (Lyons, Colo.) led the team with 10 digs and three service aces, and Okoye led Denver with four blocks.

"It was a good start and now we will look to continue improving," Mahoney said. "Tomorrow's matches will be tough tests."

The Pioneers continue play at the San Francisco Invitational with matches against San Diego State and host San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. MT and 8 p.m. MT, respectively. Denver opens at home next Friday in the Pioneer Classic as it hosts UT Arlington, Villanova and Air Force.

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