Rutgers University
West Virginia
Yankauskas Leads RU in Sweep of West Virginia
Oct 01 | Women's Volleyball
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - The Rutgers volleyball team (5-9, 2-2 BIG EAST) picked up a key BIG EAST victory as it defeated conference opponent West Virginia (1-17, 0-4 BIG EAST) 3-0 (30-21, 30-26, 30-28) on Sunday, Oct. 1, at the College Avenue Gymnasium.
Game one began as a tight contest with both teams exchanging points early. There were at total of seven ties and four lead changes before the Scarlet Knights would eventually pull away with the game one win, ending on a 14-5 run. Senior Lora Yankauskas (Paramus, N.J.) was a major part of RU's scoring output in the opening game as she recorded nine of her match-high 22 kills. The Scarlet Knights defense was also a major factor as they forced the Mountaineers into a .039 hitting percentage and six attack errors.
Game two shaped out to be as close as the first with Rutgers and West Virginia trading leads a total of four times. With the score tied 24-24, the Scarlet Knights again rallied in the late stages, scoring six of the next eight points to secure the game two victory.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, West Virginia emerged from the break with a renewed focus. The Mountaineers came out firing in game three, as they climbed to a five point lead (14-9). The Scarlet Knights bounced back, however, eventually taking over the lead at 22-21 and they never looked back. Rutgers held on to the one-point advantage and picked up the match win.
Rutgers played an outstanding team game, receiving contributions from all of its starters, especially on the defensive front, as four Scarlet Knights recorded double-digit digs. Sophomore Roxy Calder (Oceanside, Calif.) and freshman Brittani Rendina (Lisle, Ill.) each posted a match-high 18 digs, while Yankauskas had 15 and senior Jocelyn Greenwald (Old Tappan, N.J.) chipped in 14.
The Scarlet Knights were balanced on offense as well, with each of their starters posting at least one kill. Freshman Sophie Cook (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was second on the team with a season-high 11 kills, followed by Rendina with nine and junior Amanda Meyer (Naperville, Ill.) with eight. Rounding out the offensive attack was junior Mallory McEnroe (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who had five kills, while Calder and freshman Stephanie Moore (Dallas, Texas) each tallied one apiece. Calder also posted a match-high 44 assists for a Scarlet Knight offense that recorded a team hitting percentage of .352 for the match, RU's best attack performance of the season.
Rutgers will venture on a five-opponent road trip, beginning at 2005 NCAA regional semifinalist and Co-BIG EAST Champion Louisville on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2:00 p.m. The Scarlet Knights will then round out the stretch with contests against BIG EAST rivals Cincinnati, Villanova, Georgetown and South Florida.
