VCU Volleyball Outlasts Marquette, 3-1

Aug. 26, 2006

DURHAM, N.C. - The Marquette University volleyball team, in search of its first win of the season, ran into a road block Saturday afternoon at Cameron Stadium in Durham, N.C, as it fell to Virginia Commonwealth, 3-1 (23-30, 30-20, 32-34, 26-30), in its second game of the Duke Invitational. In the loss, senior Jamie Mueller (16 K, 27 D) recorded a double-double for the second straight game, while junior Monica Renfrow (25 A, 17 D) registered her first of the season.

"We had some girls step up today, Renfrow, Viola and Bielski did a nice job," said head coach Pati Rolf. "We are still working on generating offense. Our blocking was good at times, but other times we struggled. We have the capability to be strong and this afternoon our focus against Gardner-Webb will be our blocking and serving. Both of those will aid in our offensive abilities.

The Rams captured game one by the score of 30-23 after an impressive start by the Golden Eagles. MU jumped out early, taking a 4-2 lead on a kill by freshman Hailey Viola, before VCU went on a 5-0 run to go on top, 7-4. Virginia Commonwealth began pulling away at that point, scoring 17 of the next 27 points to take a 24-14 lead, its largest of the game. Marquette scored the next three points, thanks to two of senior Nicole Wallace's game-high four kills, to bring the lead back to seven (24-17), but in the end, the Rams held strong for the opening-game victory.

For the second consecutive match, the Golden Eagles stormed back after losing the first game to win game two, 30-20. It was a dominant display on the court for Marquette, which won the first four points of the frame, and 11 of the first 14. With points being scored from both sides of the net, MU maintained its 11-point lead for much of the game, before taking its largest lead at 25-12, on the second of two aces by freshman Leslie Bielski. The Rams made a charge in the end, winning 8 of the last 13 points, but the Golden Eagles held on to tie the match, 1-1.

In a pivotal game three, MU and VCU engaged in a battle which left neither team with more than a two point lead early as they found themselves knotted at 13-13. The Golden Eagles took advantage of two errors by the Rams and kills by Bielski, Mueller and Todd, going on a 5-0 to take what seemed like a commanding 18-13 lead. Inch by inch, however, despite MU clinging to the five-point lead at 22-17, VCU started battling its way back. A 10-5 run by the Rams tied the score at 27-27 and with an opportunity to close the door, ahead 30-29, Virginia Commonwealth was unable to stop a blow by Mueller, which tied the game at 30-30. Marquette could not to take the lead the remainder of the game as VCU claimed frame three, 34-32.

The Golden Eagles once again came out strong in game four, only to have the Rams battle back to win the match with a 30-26 victory. Marquette held the advantage almost midway through the frame, taking a 11-8 lead on an error by Virginia Commonwealth. With MU in the lead 13-11, VCU went on a 5-0 run to take a 16-13 lead and began to pull away. Down 26-19, the Golden Eagles made a charge, scoring six straight points, three of which came on kills by junior Jenn Brown, to cut Rams' lead to one, but VCU won four of the last five points to win the match, 3-1.

Helmbrecht led the team with six blocks, all assisted. MU out-hit VCU 18.5-15.4 percent.

VCU had two players' record double-doubles, including senior Ludmila Francescatto, who tallied a match-high 25 kills.

Marquette (0-2) will conclude the Duke Invitational at 4 p.m. against Gardner-Webb (0-2), who fell to Duke in the first game of the day, 3-0 (30-14, 30-15, 30-20). VCU (2-0) will now play Duke (2-0) this evening to determine a tournament champion.