MACOMB, Ill. – For the first time since the 2011 season, the University of Evansville volleyball team has started the season with a 3-0 record after the Purple Aces defeated Western Illinois, 3-2, to win the Leatherneck Invitational.
Evansville is 3-0 with wins over Western Illinois, Manhattan and Chicago State. Cathy Schreiber was named the tournament MVP while Cassie Brooks and Rocio Fortuny earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.
Manhattan Box Score (PDF) - Western Illinois Box Score (PDF)
"I am very proud of this team," UE head coach Manolo Concepcion said. "Everyone was involved and fully invested in every single point throughout the weekend. All of them contributed, compensating one for the other when needed."
In the nightcap, the Purple Aces defeated the host Leathernecks in a 5-set thriller. Rachel Tam notched 15 kills while Cathy Schreiber had 13 and Rocio Fortuny totaled 11. Allana McInnis and Taylor Jones recorded 24 and 20 assists, respectively while Cassie Brooks and Gabriela Dos Santos had things covered defensively. Brooks had 27 digs while Dos Santos notched 21.
Emma Norris led the way for WIU with 19 kills while Jaime Johnson led everyone with 36 assists.
The Leathernecks took a 10-7 lead in game one before the Aces used a 9-3 run to go up 15-13. Western got within a tally at 20-19 before the Aces finished it off with five in a row, three being kills. McInnis notched a service ace to finish off the set. Following a 25-14 Leatherneck win in the second game, UE regained the edge in the third. Brooks did the serving as UE jumped out to a 7-0 lead with Tam posting two kills in the run. UE never let up, taking a 25-17 victory.
WIU forced a fifth and deciding set as they finished the fourth frame on a 7-4 run to win by a 25-22 final. Taylor Jones started it off with strong serving to give the Aces a 4-0 lead. Western Illinois fought back to make it a 4-4 score before taking their first lead at 11-10. That would be their only lead. With the score tied at 13-13, the Aces forced two WIU errors to clinch the match with a 15-13 win.
"Ball control and consistent game management from both setters were the key of the weekend," Concepcion explained. "Our middles stepping up in the net in pressure moments of the game was also important."
Earlier in the day, Rachel Tam posted 16 kills as UE swept Manhattan, 3-0, in the second game of the tournament.
Tam fell just three kills short of her career-best 19 kills from last season. She also finished with 13 digs. Cathy Schreiber, Gabriela Dos Santos and Rocio Fortuny recorded eight kills apiece. Allana McInnis led all players with 37 assists and Cassie Brooks was solid on defense, finishing with 18 kills.
UE opened the game with an impressive 25-7 performance in the first set before wrapping up the match with finals of 25-17 and 25-23 in the third. Next weekend, the Aces are in Cape Girardeau, Mo. for three matches on the campus of Southeast Missouri State.
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