University of St. Thomas Athletics
St. Olaf
Volleyball needs comeback to get four-set victory
9/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Junior Kyley Crotty had 17 kills and 10 digs and senior Katie McCaffrey had 15 kills and six blocks to lead No. 8-ranked St. Thomas to Wednesday night's hard-fought four-set victory over visiting St. Olaf in MIAC volleyball play at UST's Schoenecker Arena.
The Tommies (8-1 overall, 1-0 MIAC) prevailed 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19 in the first conference match of the season.
St. Olaf (8-4, 0-1) won the second set to even the match 1-1, then zoomed to a 9-1 lead in a crucial third set. The Tommies scratched back and took their first lead at 23-22, then scored the last two points to take the set.
The final set was close throughout with UST leading just 20-18 before pulling away at the finish.
For UST, Katie Kremer had 25 digs, Crotty and Carlie Waibel each had three aces, Emily Foster had 50 assists, Alesha Nelson had 10 kills and five blocks, and Krista Henshue had 12 digs.
St. Thomas showed some effects of an 11-day layoff from competition -- due to last weekend's cancelled trip to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike. But give credit to the Oles, who won seven of their last matches last season and started 2008 with eight victories. Jessica Levin had 16 kills and five blocks, and Kim Smisek had 14 kills and 14 digs.
Coach Thanh Pham's Tommies have won 16 in a row vs. conference opponents. UST is a combined 21-1-2 overall in soccer, volleyball and football, including a 3-0 slate on Wednesday.
Click here for box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/vlbl/stats/sto-ust.htm
Eli Adams photos from Wednesday's St. Olaf vs. St. Thomas match:
Katie McCaffrey celebrates match point
Alesha Nelson
Katie Kremer
Katie McCaffrey
Carlie Waibel
Katie Kremer
Kyley Crotty
