Volleyball

UC Volleyball Defeats WV State to Make WVIAC Tournament Finals
Novmber 12, 2005

By Will Prewitt
Courtesy of The WVIAC Online

Defendiing WVIAC Tournament Champion Charleston defeated West Virginia State 3-0 (30-15, 33-31, 30-24) for the right to take on Wheeling Jesuit in the finals of the WVIAC Tournament being played at the Charleston Catholic Sports Complex in Chaleston, WV.

The Golden Eagles (25-9) advanced to the finals by eliminating crosstown rival West Virginia State (24-13).  Rebecca LaBrake led the Golden Eagles with 15 kills and Katy Skelley added 13.

The victory gave Charleston a 2-1 edge in the season series between the squads.  UC won a five-game thriller in Eddie King Gym in the first regular season meeting.  State rebounded with the school's first-ever win over against UC in a home sweep in mid-October.

The Yellow Jackets came out hot in game one, building a 4-0 lead.  However, UC seized control of the game by scoring 15 of the next 20 points en route to a 30-15 win.

Charleston held a lead during most of the second game and appeared to be on the way to an easy 2-0 lead with a 27-20 lead.  However, State went on a 9-2 run to knot the game at 29-29.  WVSU took the advantage on a block by Stephanie Harwood and Kerri Kraus.  UC tied it at 30-30 with Sam Meyer's kill.

Harwood put State back on top, but UC scored three straight to wrap up the game.  A pair of LaBrake kills, sandwiched around a WVSU hitting error, finally gave the Golden Eagles the 2-0 advantage in games.

UC sprinted to a 10-2 lead in the third game and led by as many as ten.  WVSU pulled within five, but could get no closer as the Golden Eagles ended the match.

Harwood topped WVSU with 10 kills, while Leah Wilson added nine.  Dave Kaltenecker had a match-high 21 digs.  Taryn Haas added 35 assists for the Jackets.

Meyer dished out 38 assists for UC.  The Golden Eagles held a .186-.082 hitting edge.  UC also outblocked State 10-5.