In their quest towards an ACC Crown, the University of Miami started their season with a convincing performance against a talented Florida Gulf Coast University Team.
Three Hurricanes collected double-digit kill performances to help spark the University of Miami volleyball team to a season-opening victory over Florida Gulf Coast, 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-17) on Friday evening in first day action of the Hurricane Invitational at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla.
Friday's match was the season-opener for both teams, and the first-ever meeting between the in-state opponents.
Miami (1-0) used an aggressive offense in its season-opener, while freshman setter Nrithya Sundararaman (Naperville, Ill.) seemed to settle into her collegiate debut with ease. She set the offense with a match-high 34 assists as the Hurricanes pounded out 44 kills in the match.
With the opening set tied at 16, UM opened a two-point edge at 18-16 following back-to-back attack errors charged to FGCU (0-1). The Eagles quickly regrouped and tied the set at 18-all behind a kill from Anna Wagner and a service ace from Alexa Napolean.
UM charged to a 24-19 advantage as junior middle blocker Lici McGee (Warr Acres, Okla.) connected on three kills for the Hurricanes in a 6-1 run. The `Canes closed out the opening set with a kill from Lane Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) in order to open the match with the 1-0 effort on a 25-20 score.
After seeing increased time at middle blocker last year, McGee collected five of her 10 kills on the night in the first set for the `Canes.
In the second set, Miami hit a .258 clip (13-5-31) as a team while holding their counterparts to a .088 hitting touch (10-7-34).
After Wagner's kill from the left side allowed the Eagles to step out in front, 11-10, Miami raced to a 7-2 run in order to move back in front, 17-13. Genny Mayhew (Clovis, Calif.) posted two kills and McGee another during the stretch.
Mayhew would collect two more kills, combining with sophomore Ali Becker (Katy, Texas) and Christine Williamson (Tampa, Fla.) each putting down a kill apiece, to take the second set, 25-17.
The final set was all Hurricanes as UM hammered down a .324 hitting percentage (17-5-37) driven by Carico's six kills, as well as five more coming from Mayhew - also a Preseason All-ACC selection.
Mayhew's kill in front of FGCU's Jacqueline Cowden pushed the Hurricanes lead to 7-2 as senior libero Cassie Loessberg (Sacramento, Calif.) helped UM push four points off serve.
Following a block from the Eagles' Ashley Yance, FGCU closed the gap to within 8-6.
However, that's as close as FGCU would get as strong attacks from Cowden and Jelena Simic were swallowed by the defensive efforts of Loessberg - a Preseason All-ACC Team member. Loessberg registered 22 digs in the match, increasing her school-record for 20-dig matches in a career out to 25.
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