Temple University Athletics
Friday, September 28
McGonigle Hall
7:00 PM
Temple University
3
vs
2
Xavier
Photo by: Mitchell Leff
Volleyball Wins a Thriller Over Xavier in Five Sets to Remain Unbeaten in the Atlantic 10
9.28.12 | Women's Volleyball
l Video (match-winning point and interviews)
PHILADELPHIA - Proving that statistics do not tell the whole story, Temple volleyball got the points it needed when it counted most and came away with a thrilling, five-set win over visiting Xavier on Friday night. The victory keeps the Owls (13-4, 3-0) unbeaten in the Atlantic 10 and is their first over Xavier (9-8, 2-1) since 2005.
On Hawaiian Night, Hawaiian native Gabriella Matautia led the way with 18 kills and 12 digs. Elyse Burkert also notched a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs, as did Tiffany Connatser with 43 assists and 14 digs.
Chelsea Tupuola tied for match-high honors with 28 digs, and Jingyu Zhang also reached double figures in digs with 10. Jennifer Iacobini knocked down five kills and committed only one error, and also served up four of Temple's seven aces on the night. The win was the seventh-straight for the Owls, and was their first five-set win this season.
Xavier recorded 70 kills to Temple's 49, and also notched more digs and more blocks. As Temple head coach Bakeer Ganes explained, stats do not always tell the whole story.
"It was definitely a great upset," said Ganes. "Xaiver has been in the finals (of the A-10 Tournament) for the last two years and are one of the best teams in the conference. But besides a win, I'm really proud of the way this team competed. That's really important to me. They did a great job of sticking together and never giving up. If you look at the stats, they basically seemed to beat us in every single category, but stats only tell one side of the story. They don't tell you how a team competed, how they were able to adjust to plays in order to make a difference on the court, and how they relied on different people to get the result they wanted. So I think today you truly saw a team come together."
The first set had the crowd going the whole way as the teams were tied nine times and the leader changed five times. The Musketeers were strong offensively with 17 kills to Temple's nine, but they also committed four more errors. The Owls were dominant on serve, recording four aces with Matautia and Iacobini serving up two apiece.
The score was tied at 20, 21 and 22 before Temple took the final three points. Burkert set up the Owls for set-point with a kill, and a Xavier error ended things in Temple's favor.
The second set had more excitement with five ties and five lead changes, and a good run for the Owls midway through. They trailed 14-11 before rattling off six straight points for a 17-14 lead. Xavier tied the score for the final time at 18-18 before pulling ahead by three. The Owls were within two points at 22-20, but the Musketeers got kills on two of the final three points. Combined with a Temple error, Xavier won the set 25-20 and evened the match at 1-1.
Through two sets, Matautia led Temple with eight kills and Burkert had seven. Xavier's Alex Smith recorded 12 kills with no errors in the two sets combined.
Temple displayed its best hitting of the match in the third set with 12 kills and only one error as a team. The Owls took a solid lead early and held it throughout, eventually winning 25-17. Matautia led the way with six kills and Temple served up three more aces, while out-hitting Xavier .355 to .108.
The fourth set was a complete turnaround for both teams, as the Musketeers hit .375 and the Owls struggled throughout, hitting .085. Xavier led from the first point and all the way through, as Temple dug itself in a hole and could not climb out. Xavier's Kelsey Dunaway led her team with seven kills as the Musketeers forced a fifth set by winning the fourth, 25-14.
The Owls started the fifth and final set in a 5-2 hole, but recovered quickly with back-to-back kills by Matautia and Burkert. Those kills became part of a 5-0 run that gave Temple a 7-5 lead, but Xavier came back to tie the score for a second time at 7-7. The score was within a point as Temple led, 10-9, but the Musketeers made three errors in the next four points and Temple took a 13-10 lead. Zhang then set up set-point with a kill, and two points later a service error on Xavier marked the end of the match.
Temple will return to action at home Saturday night against #20 Dayton at 7:00 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA - Proving that statistics do not tell the whole story, Temple volleyball got the points it needed when it counted most and came away with a thrilling, five-set win over visiting Xavier on Friday night. The victory keeps the Owls (13-4, 3-0) unbeaten in the Atlantic 10 and is their first over Xavier (9-8, 2-1) since 2005.
On Hawaiian Night, Hawaiian native Gabriella Matautia led the way with 18 kills and 12 digs. Elyse Burkert also notched a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs, as did Tiffany Connatser with 43 assists and 14 digs.
Chelsea Tupuola tied for match-high honors with 28 digs, and Jingyu Zhang also reached double figures in digs with 10. Jennifer Iacobini knocked down five kills and committed only one error, and also served up four of Temple's seven aces on the night. The win was the seventh-straight for the Owls, and was their first five-set win this season.
Xavier recorded 70 kills to Temple's 49, and also notched more digs and more blocks. As Temple head coach Bakeer Ganes explained, stats do not always tell the whole story.
"It was definitely a great upset," said Ganes. "Xaiver has been in the finals (of the A-10 Tournament) for the last two years and are one of the best teams in the conference. But besides a win, I'm really proud of the way this team competed. That's really important to me. They did a great job of sticking together and never giving up. If you look at the stats, they basically seemed to beat us in every single category, but stats only tell one side of the story. They don't tell you how a team competed, how they were able to adjust to plays in order to make a difference on the court, and how they relied on different people to get the result they wanted. So I think today you truly saw a team come together."
The first set had the crowd going the whole way as the teams were tied nine times and the leader changed five times. The Musketeers were strong offensively with 17 kills to Temple's nine, but they also committed four more errors. The Owls were dominant on serve, recording four aces with Matautia and Iacobini serving up two apiece.
The score was tied at 20, 21 and 22 before Temple took the final three points. Burkert set up the Owls for set-point with a kill, and a Xavier error ended things in Temple's favor.
The second set had more excitement with five ties and five lead changes, and a good run for the Owls midway through. They trailed 14-11 before rattling off six straight points for a 17-14 lead. Xavier tied the score for the final time at 18-18 before pulling ahead by three. The Owls were within two points at 22-20, but the Musketeers got kills on two of the final three points. Combined with a Temple error, Xavier won the set 25-20 and evened the match at 1-1.
Through two sets, Matautia led Temple with eight kills and Burkert had seven. Xavier's Alex Smith recorded 12 kills with no errors in the two sets combined.
Temple displayed its best hitting of the match in the third set with 12 kills and only one error as a team. The Owls took a solid lead early and held it throughout, eventually winning 25-17. Matautia led the way with six kills and Temple served up three more aces, while out-hitting Xavier .355 to .108.
The fourth set was a complete turnaround for both teams, as the Musketeers hit .375 and the Owls struggled throughout, hitting .085. Xavier led from the first point and all the way through, as Temple dug itself in a hole and could not climb out. Xavier's Kelsey Dunaway led her team with seven kills as the Musketeers forced a fifth set by winning the fourth, 25-14.
The Owls started the fifth and final set in a 5-2 hole, but recovered quickly with back-to-back kills by Matautia and Burkert. Those kills became part of a 5-0 run that gave Temple a 7-5 lead, but Xavier came back to tie the score for a second time at 7-7. The score was within a point as Temple led, 10-9, but the Musketeers made three errors in the next four points and Temple took a 13-10 lead. Zhang then set up set-point with a kill, and two points later a service error on Xavier marked the end of the match.
Temple will return to action at home Saturday night against #20 Dayton at 7:00 p.m.
American Conference Tipoff - ESPN+
Tuesday, October 14
Ep. 12: Homecoming Recap; Women's Soccer's Tamsin Bynoe
Tuesday, October 14
Ep. 11: American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti
Monday, October 13
Ep. 10: Temple Homecoming Preview; Volleyball Assistant Coach Taylor Davenport
Tuesday, October 07
