Volleyball Downs Cincinnati, 3-1

Sunday, October 4

McGonigle Hall

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

13-3, 4-0American

Cincinnati

9-6, 1-3American

Cincinnati

Temple University

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Volleyball Downs Cincinnati, 3-1

10.4.15 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA — In a tightly played match, it was Temple coming out on top, as the Owls' volleyball team defeated visiting Cincinnati, 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 25-16) on Sunday at McGonigle Hall. The win lifts Temple to 4-0 in American Athletic Conference play, and 13-3 overall, while the Bearcats fall to 9-6, 1-3 in conference play.

Temple grabbed the first two sets, before Cincinnati took the third, the first set loss for the Owls in American Athletic Conference play this season. Temple hit .500 in the final set, however, recording just one error to seal the match victory.

Sophomore Irem Asci had an outstanding day, recording season-highs of 25 kills and 19 digs for a double-double. Asci led an attack that saw seven Temple players record five or more kills in the match. Junior Kirsten Overton had eight kills and three blocks, while classmate Tyler Davis had seven kills with a pair of blocks. Sophomore Janine Simmons hit .462, recording six kills without an error, also tallying a team-best four blocks. Rounding out the Temple offense, sophomores Izzy Rapacz and Dara Peric each had five kills, while setter Sandra Sydlik had five kills, racking up 50 assists.

The Owls had four players reach double-figures in digs, led by senior Alyssa Drachslin, who tallied a match-high 23. Senior Kayla Yingling had 13 digs, while Peric finished with 10.

Cincinnati took control of set one early, taking advantage of several uncharacteristic coverage miscues by Temple. The Bearcats pushed their advantage to 8-4, before Temple battled back with a 6-1 run to take its first lead of the match at 10-9. Cincinnati quickly tied things up on the next serve and took control late, using a 4-0 run to go up 23-21. On the ropes, Temple scored the next four points to take the set using kills from Asci and Rapacz and a huge block from Rapacz and Simmons to end it at 25-23.

It was Temple with the early lead in the second set, as the Owls surged to a 12-6 lead after a 5-0 run. Cincinnati cut the deficit to 16-13, but another Temple run, this time 5-1, pushed the Owl advantage to 21-14. The Bearcats put together a 3-1 run to cut it to 24-19, but Temple ended it on a Simmons kill that made it 25-19 and 2-0 in the set.

The Owls had an early 5-2 edge in the fourth set, but a 6-1 surge from the Bearcats put Cincinnati up 8-6. The visitors stayed out in front until a 3-0 run from Temple tied things at 19-19 late in the set. The teams traded sideouts for the next four points to settle on a 21-21 tie before Cincinnati got three-straight to go up 24-21. Temple fended off two set points to pull to 24-23, but the Bearcats got the final point of the set on a Carly Nolan kill, forcing a fourth set.

Temple saved its best offensive performance of the night for the final set, as the Owls hit .500 to take the final frame. Cincinnati kept things close, saying within three points through much of the action and pulling it to just a one-point Temple lead at 13-12. From there, the Owls went on an 11-3 run, using three-straight Asci kills to make it 24-15. Temple and Cincinnati put together a long rally for the final point of the night, with a Bearcat attack error winning the set, 25-16, for Temple, and sealing the 3-1 match win for the Owls.

Temple is back in action next weekend going on the road for a pair of American matches. The Owls will play at SMU on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and will take on Tulsa on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights/Interviews