Smith's 14 Kills Leads 'Cats in 3-1 Loss to Tulane at NIVC

Friday, December 6

Hamilton, N.Y.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

17-10, 7-3AE

Tulane University

22-10, 10-6American

New Hampshire

Tulane

12/6/2019 9:02:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. – Kennedi Smith (The Woodlands, Texas) recorded a match-high 14 kills for the University of New Hampshire, but the Wildcats were defeated 3-1 by Tulane University in Friday's National Invitational Volleyball Championship first round match at Colgate University's Cotterell Court.

The set scores were 25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 25-21. UNH, under the direction of first-year head coach Christopher Feliciano, ends the year at 17-10. Tulane improved to 22-10 and advances to the Dec. 7 second-round match.

"We had a quality showing tonight versus a ver tough and physical team," Feliciano said. "I was extremely please with our overall effort. Earning a bid to a postseason tournament is no small feat, and I believe that our team stepped up and left it all on the line tonight."

STAT LEADERS

* Kennedi Smith recorded 14 kills on a .243 hitting percentage.

* Hannah Petke (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) tallied 11 kills and three blocks.

* Logan Welti (Middleton, Wis.) recorded a season-high 19 digs; she was UNH's libero in place of the injured Emily Tanski.

* Abby Sullivan (Methuen, Mass.) finished with a team-high five blocks, including two solo, and three kills.* Emma Patlovich (Lake Forest, Ill.) tallied a team-high 18 assists and also had seven digs.

* Wren Macaulay (Lake Orion, Michigan) had 10 assists and six digs.

* Erin Hedrick (Montvale, N.J.) had six kills and a block.

* Bre Smith (Boonvile, Mo.) finished with four blocks and two kills.

UNH NOTEBOOK

* This was UNH's first appearance in the NIVC; this is the third year of the reincarnation of the tournament.

* Smith is No. 7 in career kills (1,097); ahead of her is No. 6 Morgan Thatcher (1,168).

* Smith is No. 8 on the all-time points list with 1,283; next on the list is No. 7 Morgan Thatcher (1,322).

* Patlovich, one of five Wildcats to reach the 2,000 assist milestone, increased her career total to 2,092.

* The end of the season marks the end of UNH Wildcat careers for five seniors: captains Petke, Smith and Welti, as well as Tanski and Jenny Weston (Canton, Mass.).

* Tanski and Smith finish their careers tied at No. 8 on the program's all-time assist list with 102.

* Tanski is No. 2 on UNH's career digs list (1,487). Madison Lightfoot holds the record of 1,657.

SET 1

* There were no tie scores and no lead changes in the first set.

* Tulane won the first three points of the set and the teams exchanged points to advance the score to 5-2.

* UNH won back-to-back points on a kill by Hedrick and Green Wave attack error to close within 5-4.

* Tulane responded with a 5-0 run to extend the advantage to 10-4 and the Wildcats never got closer than five points the remainder of the set.

SET 2

* There were 11 ties and eight lead changes in the second set.

* Tulane carried momentum into Set 2 by taking a 5-1 lead.

* New Hampshire rallied to tie the score at 5, however, and took an 8-7 lead -- the Wildcats' first lead of the match -- on a kill by Kennedi Smith.

* The teams exchanged three-point runs to push the score to 11-10 in favor of UNH.

* Tulane went on a 5-2 spurt to take a 15-13 lead into a media timeout.

* The 'Cats answered with a 7-2 run to go back in front, 20-17.

* UNH called time out with a 23-20 lead, then a pair of Tulane attack errors ended the set and leveled the match.

SET 3

* There were two tie scores -- at 1-1 and 2-2 -- and no lead changes in the third set.

* Tulane reeled off five consecutive points to build a 7-2 lead.

* The Wildcats responded with four straight points to close within 7-6.

* The Green Wave went on a 7-3 spurt to extend the advantage to 14-9. The designated home team edged further ahead, 21-12, en route to a 25-18 margin.

SET 4

* There were six tie scores and three lead changes in the fourth set.

* UNH fell behind 7-3 before rallying to take a 9-8 lead on a combined block by Bre Smith and Hedrick.

* With the score tied at 11, Tulane went on a 6-2 run to go in front 17-13.

* The Green Wave won six consecutive points to build a 23-14 advantage.

* New Hampshire faced match points at 24-15, but reeled off six consecutive points to close within 24-21. The Green Wave won the next point, however, to end the set and match, as well as UNH's season.