Volleyball Embarks on Winning Streak with 3-0 Victory at Rutgers

Oct. 27, 2006

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - Senior Jamie Mueller and junior Kimberley Todd combined for 25 of the team's 47 kills, and freshman Leslie Bielski registered a season-high four aces as the Marquette volleyball team defeated Rutgers, 3-0 (31-29, 30-23, 30-21), Friday night at the College Avenue Gym in New Brunswick, N.J. With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 12-11 on the season and 7-3 in the BIG EAST, The Scarlet Knights fell to 5-15 overall and 2-8 in the conference with the loss.

"We had some great serving tonight and really moved the ball around well," said head coach Pati Rolf. "We had some key plays at important times in the match and it turned into a win for us. We played a good match and now have to maintain our consistency Sunday against Villanova."

Marquette and Rutgers battled back and forth, staying within two points of each other until the Scarlet Knights took a three-point lead at 17-14 in game one. They increased their advantage to seven at 25-18, when the Golden Eagles went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by two kills by Bielski, to cut the deficit to two at 25-23. RU increased its lead back to four at 29-25 and was serving game-point, but back came MU, scoring the next six points to win the frame 31-29 on consecutive attack errors by Rutgers.

In the second game, Marquette took its first lead at 5-4 on a kill by junior Jenn Brown, and never looked back. Ahead four at 13-9, the Golden Eagles went on a 6-0 run to increase their lead to 10, thank in part to three kills by Todd. The Scarlet Knights would get within five at 25-20, but MU tallied five of the final eight points to win game two, 30-23, on a kill by Brown.

Down 3-2 early in the third stanza, Marquette went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-3 lead. Back charged Rutgers, however, scoring seven consecutive points down 8-4 to take a 10-9 lead. The Golden Eagles answered back, tallying the next five scores to increase their lead back to four on an ace by freshman Caryn Mastandrea. MU increased its lead to eight at 20-12 on an attack error by RU, but the Scarlet Knights again made a charge, scoring five-straight points to cut their deficit to three at 20-17. Marquette recorded six of the final seven points of the frame to win the game, 30-21, and the match, 3-0.

Todd tallied 15 kills in the win, and Mueller added 10. Junior Monica Renfrow led the Golden Eagles with 29 assists, and senior Lauren Pierce recorded a team-high eight digs.

Amanda Meyer led Rutgers with nine kills.

The Golden Eagles return to the court, Sunday, at 2 p.m. ET, when they take on the Villanova Wildcats at Nevin Fieldhouse in Villanova, Pa.