OWLS VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO #5 FLORIDA 3-0 IN NCAA REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

Friday, December 13

Gainesville, FL

Temple University

Florida

OWLS VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO #5 FLORIDA 3-0 IN NCAA REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

12.14.02 | Women's Volleyball

GAINSEVILLE, FLORIDA -- The Owl's "Cinderella season" came to a close tonight, December 13, 2002 as they fell to #5 Florida three games to none in the Sweet 16 NCAA Regional Semifinal Match at the University of Florida's O'Connell's Center. The game scores were 15-30, 27-30 and 14-30. The regional semifinals is the furthest any Temple women's volleyball team has ever advanced in the history of the program and it is the furthest any current team in the Atlantic 10 Conference has ever advanced.

The Owls were led by outside hitter and Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Xu Yun with 10 kills and five digs and outside hitter Liu Shu with six kills and three digs. Yamit Haba had five kills and eight digs while Charity Hill contributed four kills and five blocks. Setter Alison Runk had 23 assists.

Game one did not got the Owls way as they were out hit but the Gators .500 to -.097 and fell victim to their blocking efforts. Temple scored a smattering of points throughout the game but could not catch the Gators who won the game 30-15.

The Owls came out strong in game two and took a quick 8-5 lead over the Gators on a service ace by Haba. Temple maintained the lead until the Gators came back to tie it 25-25. Florida then went on a 5-2 scoring run to win game two 30-27 and lead the match two games to none.

Temple was overpowered in game three as the Gator's came out aggressively and beat the Owls 30-14 and won the match three games to none.

Temple will have to wait until next year to vindicate their loss and push towards the NCAA Tournament and the Elite 8. Overall, the Cherry and White finished the season with a record of 29-7 and an Atlantic 10 conference record of 13-1.