Oct. 1, 2010
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DAYTON, Ohio – Twentieth-ranked University of Dayton volleyball returned home for the first time in over a month to sweep Rhode Island in straight sets on Friday night at the Frericks Center (25-14, 25-15, 25-19).
Dayton (12-3, 3-0 Atlantic 10) issued a season-high of nine aces on its way to a seventh consecutive win and an 18th consecutive win inside the Frericks Center. A balanced offensive effort of three Flyers recording seven kills and four Flyers recording two aces gave No. 20 Dayton sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The dynamic senior middle blocking duo of Becky Novacek and Lindsay Fletemier accounted for seven kills each and a combined nine block assists. Junior Yvonne Marten recorded a match-high .545 hitting percentage on seven kills with three blocks.
Ranked seventh in the nation in blocks per set coming into the weekend, Dayton lived up to its reputation on Friday by out-blocking Rhode Island 10.5-to.4.0 – the 13th time in 15 matches that UD has out-gained an opponent in blocks.
Senior Amanda Cowdrey led the Flyers in digs for the third consecutive match with 11. With the score tied at five in the first set, the Brampton, Ontario native rattled off two aces during a 4-0 run which separated the Flyers for the 25-14 opening set win.
Dayton was efficiant in a 25-15 second set victory, hitting .393 with three aces and 16 digs. Freshman Allyson Morey recorded two of those aces during one service rotation – a 7-0 run – which gave Dayton a 23-10 lead and all but ensured a 2-0 advantage going into intermission.
With four ties and three lead changes early in the third and final set, the Rams put up a fight but it wasn’t enough to prevent Flyers from sweeping its fourth opponent in the last five matches, 25-19.
Rhode Island (11-4, 2-1) was led by standout freshman Britta Baarstad with a match-high eight kills on 22 attempts. Libero Ashley Tennant also represented the Rams with a match-high, recording 17 digs.
Dayton returns to action tomorrow against Fordham at 7 p.m., in the Frerick Center. Come out early for Alumni Night as it will mark the first Chalk Talk of the season with Head Coach Kelly Sheffield at 5:15 p.m., in Frericks #201-B.
At noon on Saturday, Dayton volleyball players will host the second Free Kids Clinic of the season. No pre-registration is required.
Post Match Interview with Assistant Coach Matt Affolder:
