VOLLEYBALL CAPTURES PC'S FRIAR CLASSIC WITH A PAIR OF WINS

Saturday, September 26

5 pm

University of New Hampshire

Providence

9/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior setter Kate Uitti (Pinckney, Mich.) was named Tournament MVP as the University of New Hampshire women's volleyball team captured a pair of wins and the tournament title at the Providence College Friar Classic on Saturday. The Wildcats, who went a perfect 3-0 on the weekend, defeated St. Francis (N.Y.), 3-0, and Providence, 3-0, on the second and final day of competition.

The set scores against St. Francis (N.Y.) were 25-11, 25-20 and 25-20, while the scores against PC were 25-21, 25-21 and 25-21. UNH improves to 8-9 with the win and complete non-conference play. New Hampshire has now won 12-consecutive sets dating back to Sept. 22 and are 6-2 overall dating back going back to Sept. 15.

In the win over St. Francis (N.Y.), Lauren Laquerre (Concord, N.H.) and Lindsay Fogarty (Pleasanton, Calif.) led the way with 13 kills apiece. Laquerre hit at a team-best .478 clip and added a pair of blocks, while Fogarty, who was named to the All-Tournament team, also had a pair of blocks. Uitti paced the Wildcat offense with 37 assists and added three aces and eight digs, while Sara Heldman (Greenwood, Ind.) had a team-high 14 digs. In the first set, the Wildcats slowly build a 14-7 lead. UNH led it 18-10 before tallying six-straight points to put the set away. New Hampshire hit at a .353 clip and had just three errors. In the second set, the teams battled back-and-forth in the early going. The Terriers led it 12-11 until a 6-0 run made it 17-13 Wildcats. UNH never trailed again in the set and went on to capture the 25-20 win. In that set, the Wildcats hit at a match-best .364 with 16 kills. In the third and final set, UNH jumped out to a 6-1 lead. St. Francis rallied with seven-straight points to make it 8-6. The Wildcats were clinging to a 14-13 lead until a four-point spurt gave UNH an 18-13 lead. The Terriers would rally, but New Hampshire held on for the five-point victory. New Hampshire registered a match-high 16 kills in the set.

Against PC, Fogarty and Laquerre once again led the way with 12 kills. Uitti dished out a match-high 41 assists, while Heldman registered 14 digs. The first set was back-and-forth throughout as the teams were tied at 19-19. UNH inched ahead with a pair of points. The Friars would trim the lead two one twice, however the Wildcats secured the victory by tallying the set's final three points. In the second set, UNH jumped out to an 11-5 lead. Providence would cut into the New Hampshire lead, but the Wildcats never surrendered its cushion in a four-point victory. In the weekend's final set, the teams played even in the early going. UNH held a small lead throughout most of the set including a 21-19 advantage. The Wildcats scored the next three points and although the Friars would break match point twice, New Hampshire went on to earn the set and the match.

UNH, which surpassed its 2008 win total with a pair of victories on Saturday, returns to action when it plays host to the America East opener vs. Binghamton University on Oct. 2; start time at Lundholm Gymnasium is 7 p.m. and tickets are available at the Whittemore Center Box Office, online at www.unhwildcats.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.