Volleyball Falls to San Fransisco, 3-1, in Tournament Opener

Sept. 15, 2006

MILWAUKEE - Despite a career-best 11 blocks from junior Kimberley Todd, the Marquette volleyball team opened its portion of the Marquette Challenge Friday night at the Al McGuire Center with a 3-1 (27-30, 30-26, 25-30, 25-30) loss to San Francisco. The Golden Eagles fell to 3-7 on the season while the Dons improved to 10-1.

San Francisco began the match with the serve and the first three points, capitalizing on two kills and a Marquette error.

It took just that long, however, for the Golden Eagles to warm up as freshman Leslie Bielski shot a kill down the line, igniting a 4-0 run for MU as it rallied to take a 4-3 lead.

The teams traded points until Marquette used a 3-0 run to take a 13-10 lead, forcing San Francisco to use their first timeout.

Out of the break, the Golden Eagles increased their lead to four with blocks by Todd and senior Jamie Mueller, but the Dons answered back, scoring four of the next five points to cut the MU lead to one at 15-14.

San Francisco used three-straight points to tie the game at 17-17, only before three consecutive for Marquette increased its lead back to three, causing the Dons to use their second timeout.

San Francisco took advantage of its break this time around, scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 24-21 lead.

The Golden Eagles used their first timeout at this point, cutting the lead to one at 25-24 on an ace by senior Lauren Pierce, but were unable to get over the hump. They used their second timeout down 29-27.

The Dons scored the next point out of the break to take game one, 30-27.

Marquette out-hit San Francisco 25.7-13.9 percent in the frame. Leading the effort for MU was Todd, who tallied six kills and a 36.4 hitting percentage.

The second game started out in the hands of the Golden Eagles as they scored eight of the first 10 points to take an 8-2, forcing a Dons' timeout.

MU used the break to its advantage, scoring the next two points to take a 10-point lead, its largest of the game.

San Francisco slowly worked its way back into the game, cutting Marquette's lead to five at 23-18 and 24-19. The Dons found themselves down again, this time by seven at 26-19, and used their second timeout.

They used a 4-0 run out of the break to cut the lead three at 26-23, forcing the Golden Eagles take a minute and talk things over.

MU scored right out of the huddle, but not before San Francisco was able cut the lead to two at 27-25 and 28-26.

The Golden Eagles were able to grab the next two points, including a kill by junior Tiffany Helmbrecht on the final score, to tie the match at 1-1.

The third frame started just the opposite of the second with San Francisco jumping out to an 8-2 lead.

The Dons maintained at minimum a five-point advantage until the Golden Eagles cut the lead to three, late, 28-25 on a kill by Todd. San Francisco was forced to call a timeout, and out of the break scored the next two points, winning the game, 30-25.

Senior Nicole Wallace led Marquette with three kills in the frame.

MU regained the momentum it collected in game two, taking a 3-0 lead to start the fourth frame on an ace by junior Monica Renfrow.

Back came the Dons, however, tying the game at 6-6, before taking a three-point lead at 9-6, culminating a 5-0 run. They increased their lead to 14-10, forcing the Golden Eagles to use a timeout.

Little by little, Marquette carved away the San Francisco lead. Ahead by just one at 18-17, the Dons used a timeout, but out of the break blocks by Mueller and Todd tied the game at 18-18. Three points later, Mueller reached high for a slam, giving the Golden Eagles their first lead of the game, 20-19.

San Francisco scored six of the next eight points to retake a three-point lead 25-22, forcing MU to use its second time out.

Out of the huddle, the Golden Eagles were able to slim the lead once again to one at 26-25, but four-straight points by the Dons sealed the game, 30-25, and the match, 3-1.

Despite the loss, Mueller extended her double-doubles streak to 10-straight games with 12 kills and 17 digs. Todd also recorded a double-double, leading the Golden Eagles with 15 kills.

Renfrow tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 32 sets and 10 digs, and Bielski also set a career-best in blocks with eight (7 BA, 1 BS).

Junior Kristin Hasselberg led San Francisco with 14 kills.

Marquette returns to the court at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow when it faces Manitoba, who was defeated earlier today by Stony Brook (5-7), 3-2.