New Brunswick, N.J. (November 7, 2009) – The Rutgers volleyball team competed in its most heated match of the season Saturday afternoon against Connecticut but could not capture the victory as the Huskies escaped College Ave. Gym with a 3-2 win.
The Huskies (13-14, 6-5 BIG EAST) claimed the first set over the Scarlet Knights (9-17, 2-9 BIG EAST) by a 25-22 score. Rutgers took control of the momentum by handily winning the next two sets, 25-18, 25-20. UConn pushed the back-and-forth contest to a fifth set by taking the fourth set with a 25-11 score.
The final set exemplified the competitiveness of the two BIG EAST teams as the two squads went point-for-point to knot the final set at 16-16. Sophomore Hannah Curtis (Wasilla, Alaska) spiked a set from freshman Stephanie Zielinski (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) to give RU a 17-16 lead. The Huskies retailed with three straight kills, all assisted by sophomore Samantha Arriaran, to give UConn the 3-2 victory.
The five-set loss was only the second time Rutgers has lost going the distance this season and its first five-set match since its 3-2 victory over Delaware State on Sept. 19 in the Bucknell Invitational. The Scarlet Knights were 4-1 in five-set matches prior to Saturday’s showdown. Connecticut leads the all-time series with Rutgers by an 18-8 mark.
“This was a great match to be a part of, unfortunately they made one more play than we did at the end,” said Rutgers head coach
CJ Werneke. “We had opportunities to win. It was nice to see our kids take everything as a whole – the game plan, execution, competivness – throughout this match.”
Junior outside hitter Caitlin Saxton (Encinitas, Calif.) swatted a match-high 22 kills on 55 attempts. The BIG EAST Weekly Honor selection has notched 20-plus kills in five matches this season and leads the Scarlet Knights with 341.Saxton’s 994 attempts this season ranks eighth in the school single-season record book.
Senior Jamie Godfrey (Rahway, N.J.) scored 19 digs to push her career total to 892. The co-captain currently ranks eighth in the school record book for career digs. Godfrey’s 377 digs this season places her third in the RU’s single season record book.
Senior Kyra Thompson (Tuscon, Ariz.) also jumped in the school’s career record book for digs as shetallied 14 digs to put her five-year sum at 855 for 10th place.
Junior Katie Groff (York, Pa.) continues to play at a high level by scoring 13 kills on an impressive .423 attack percentage.
Zielinski dished out a match-high 51 assists. The freshman standout has notched 50-plus assists three times this season.
The Scarlet Knights will host their final home match on Sunday when it welcomes St. John’s for a 2 p.m. contest.
The St. John’s match will serve as Rutgers Senior Day, as it will be the last home match for six Scarlet Knights. Seniors
Sophie Cook (Colorado Spring, Colo.), Godfrey, Stephanie Moore (Dallas, Texas), Thompson, Victoria Thomas (Dallas, Texas) and junior Katie Barends (Glen Gardner, N.J). Barends is graduating in the spring and will not use her final year of eligibility.
