Sept. 15, 2000
DAYTON, Ohio - The Western Kentucky University volleyball team used several gritty comebacks to record a 3-0 (15-13, 15-11, 15-7) win over Central Florida Friday night at the Raider Challenge on the Wright State University campus. Junior left-side hitter Tara Thomas (Louisville, Ky./Assumption HS) blasted a match-high 17 kills and junior outside hitter Natalie Furry (Normal, Ill./Normal Community HS) notched 14 kills and 12 digs for her third double-double of the season. Furry also posted a career-high .619 hitting percentage, committing only one attack error on 21 swings.
The first game was one of ebb and flow, as each team took turns making scoring runs. Western was the first to grab control, reeling off five straight points to take an 11-6 lead. UCF answered with five of the next six markers to close the gap to 12-11. From there, junior middle hitter Jessica Willard (Louisville, Ky./Assumption HS) stepped up, tallying a block and a kill to finish off the first game in the Lady Toppers' favor, 15-13.
The Golden Knights appeared poised to even the match early in game two, racing out to a 5-0 lead. UCF bumped its edge to six points on two occasions, the second coming at 11-5 at the end of a three-point surge. It was then that Western began its slow march back into contention. Thomas drilled four kills and Willard dropped down two others as the Lady Toppers scored nine unanswered points to pull out the second game, 15-11.
As it did in the first two frames, UCF jumped in front, 2-0, to begin game three. After that point, Western put together a staggering 12-1 run that put the Lady Toppers safely ahead by a 12-3 count. The Golden Knights mounted a valiant comeback, scoring four straight points to cut the deficit to five points and force a WKU time-out. The Lady Toppers used the stoppage to their advantage, logging three consecutive markers and completing the sweep with a flourish on an ace by sophomore setter Sara Noe (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy).
Western Kentucky (9-2) returns to action Saturday at noon (CDT) against the host team, Wright State, to open the second day of the Raider Challenge. The Lady Toppers will round out tournament play at 4 p.m. Saturday against Tennessee Tech.
-- WKU --
