Smith Records 15 Kills as 'Cats Rally Past UMBC, 3-2

Sunday, November 4

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

21-13, 8-3

University of Maryland Baltimore County

6-18, 2-8AE

UMBC

New Hampshire

11/4/2018 5:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Video Highlights

DURHAM, N.H. – Kennedi Smith (The Woodlands, Texas) recorded a match-high 15 kills to lead the University of New Hampshire volleyball team to Sunday afternoon's 3-2 come-from-behind victory against UMBC on UNH's Senior Day at Lundholm Gym.

The set scores were 17-25, 25-23, 15-25, 25-13, 15-9.

Smith, the reigning America East Player of the Week, also recorded eight digs and two blocks. Emma Tupa (Brecksville, Ohio) tallied a career-high 10 kills on a .375 hitting percentage.

Gabri Olhava (Mount Prospect, Ill.) finished with nine kills and a season-high six blocks. Emma Patlovich (Lake Forest, Ill.), the America East Setter of the Week, recorded 38 kills, seven digs and two blocks. Defensive Specialist of the Week Emily Tanski (Plymouth, Mich.) had a match-high 27 digs.

UNH completed the season sweep of UMBC to improve to 12-13 overall and 8-3 in America East. The Retrievers are now 6-18, 2-8.

Up Next: New Hampshire returns to action Nov. 9 at the University of Albany in the final match of the regular season.

Shop UNH: Check out UNHShop.com for the latest in official UNH Wildcats' merchandise.

SET 1

There were no ties and no lead changes in the first set as UNH went down 6-1 after a hot start from the Retrievers.
UNH began to climb back into the set and cut the deficit to 7-4 led by two kills from Alexa Markman (Chicago, Ill.).
After trading errors to make the score 8-5, UMBC went on a five-point run to take a 13-5 lead.
UNH then went on a 4-2 spurt led by kills from Olhava and Molly Wotton (Dover, N.H.) to make the score 15-9.
The Retrievers scored four straight points to increase their lead 19-9.
Two straight kills from Smith made the score 19-11, but UMBC then scored two consecutive points to reestablish a double-digit lead.
After trading points to make the score 23-13, UNH went on a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 24-17.
The lead proved to be too large, however, and UNH lost the first set 25-17.

SET 2

There were 10 tie scores and four lead changes in a tightly contested second set.
UNH went down 5-2 early in the second set, but then outscored UMBC 4-1 to tie the score at 6-6 with Jenny Weston (Canton, Mass.) capping off the run with an ace.
The set continued to go back and forth until UNH scored three straight points to take a 15-13 lead.
The Wildcats pushed their lead to 20-16 after a big combined block by Hannah Petke (Rancho Santa Magarita, Calif) and Maddie Wiedenfeld (Omaha, Neb.), which was preceded Tupa's kill.
The Retrievers went on a 5-2 run to cut their deficit to one and make the score 22-21 in favor of UNH.
Smith's kill gave the 'Cats set point, 24-21, UMBC won the next two point to inch within 24-23, then Olhava ended the set with a thunderous kill.

SET 3

There was one tie and no lead changes in the third set.
UMBC started the third set on a 3-0 run capped off by a strong kill by Taylor Dunn.
The Retrievers pushed the lead to 8-3, but the Wildcats went on a 6-1 run following their largest deficit of the set to tie the score 9-9.
UMBC won the next three points to ignite a 13-2 run and build an insurmountable 22-11 lead.

SET 4

There was one tie and no lead changes in the fourth set.
After trading the first two points of the set, UNH jumped out to a 5-2 lead behind two kills by Smith and her combined block with Olhava.
UMBC cut the lead down to 6-4 before the Wildcats went on a 4-1 run – fueled by Tupa's two kills – to extend their lead to 10-5.
UNH continued to pull away by winning five of the next seven points to build a 15-7 advantage. Both Tupa and Wiedenfeld recorded a kill and solo block during that spurt.
UMBC sliced the deficit to 16-10, but the Wildcats then took over the fourth set by ending on a 9-3 run. Four of the last five UNH points were kills by Tupa and Olhava with two apiece.

SET 5

There were three tie scores and two lead changes in the decisive fifth set.
The fifth set began with the two teams exchanging points to advance the score to 3-3.
Smith's kill was followed by three consecutive UMBC errors to give New Hampshire a 7-3 lead.
Back-to-back kills by Smith and Tupa increased the lead 10-5 and prompted the Retrievers to call their last timeout of the match.
Two kills from Olhava and Emma Patlovich (Lake Forest, Ill.) made the score 13-7 in favor of the Wildcats.
With the 'Cats leading 13-9, Markman combined with Wiedenfeld for a block and match point, then she teamed with Smith for a block to end the match.

UNH NOTEBOOK

The UNH volleyball program paid tribute to athletic trainer Morgane Rothweiler, Team Impact teammate Phoebe Cole and the five seniors – Olhava, Markman, Wotton, Mali Jereczek (Green Bay, Wis.) and Sarah Shelton (Ellsworth, Maine) – prior to the match, the last at home in the 2018 season.
Trailing 2-1 in the match, UNH recorded a .281 hitting percentage in Set 4 while holding UMBC to a -.034 hitting percentage.
The Wildcats went on to commit just one attack error in Set 5 for a .350 hitting percentage; UMBC had a mark of .150.
Markman finished the match with five kills, a .400 hitting percentage and the two blocks to end the match.
Weston's 12 digs marked a career high. She also had two service aces.
New Hampshire has a 3-2 record in five-set matches this season.
UNH has a 22-10 lifetime record against UMBC, and the Wildcats have won nine of the last 10 matchups.

For the most up-to-date information on the volleyball team, visit UNHWildcats.com. For additional information on the UNH volleyball team, like the squad on Facebook or follow the 'Cats on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @UNHVOLLEYBALL