Volleyball Splits at First Day of Big Orange Tournament

Friday, September 1

Syracuse, N.Y.

3:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Kentucky

Sophomore Emily Kaier set a career-high with 12 kills in SU's victory over Siena.

Volleyball Splits at First Day of Big Orange Tournament

9/1/2006 11:29:44 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Kentucky Box Score

Siena Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (2-4) split a pair of matches at the first day of the Big Orange Tournament. The Orange defeated Siena 3-0 (32-30, 30-17, 30-25) and fell to Kentucky 3-0 (30-23, 30-19, 30-25).

“Emily Kaier really picked it up for us in the Siena match,” said Syracuse assistant coach Carol Munger. “In the second and third game, she her hitting was really strong, both line and cross, so it was hard for the blockers to tell what she was doing. Against Kentucky, Cheryl Cobbina had a great performance. We just set her every ball because she was making points off them. She did really well there.”

Cobbina, a junior, led the Orange with 15 kills while Kaier, a sophomore, posted a career-high 12 kills in SU’s victory. Her previous personal best was eight kills against Delaware State in 2005. Sophomore April Quigley set a career-high with 36 assists and junior Joscie Kaup recorded a season-best 26 digs. Freshman Sarah Morton added seven blocks, including five solo blocks.

In the match against Kentucky, Cobbina recorded a match-high 17 kills and added five digs. Quigley led the Orange with 24 assists and Kaup recorded a team-high 10 digs. Freshman Kacie MacTavish recorded three kills and nine digs in her first collegiate match. She spent last weekend at the 2006 Canadian National Beach Volleyball Championships.

Syracuse returns to action tomorrow, squaring-off against San Diego State at noon and New Hampshire at 7 p.m. Live stats will be available by clicking here.

“San Diego State should be a really tough team,” Munger said. “They have some big blockers and their setter really disguises where she is going to set so it hard for our middle blockers to read. New Hampshire should be a tough opponent too.”