Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
LaSalle
Wildcats split opening day of Penn Invitational
9/15/2013 1:59:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA – The Wildcats found their first day of competition on the east coast to be a split decision.
The Weber State University women's volleyball team opened up the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West Penn Invitational with a straight-set victory over La Salle, before falling in four sets to Temple in back-to-back matches.
The Wildcats moved to 4-7, ending a six-match skid with the win over the Explorers.
Against La Salle, junior outside hitter Audrey Biggs had 10 kills in 15 attempts, hitting .600 to help lead Weber State to the 26-24, 25-18, 25-15 win in just 80 minutes.
The Wildcats hit a sizzling .373 for the match and had 12 service aces. Sophomore middle blocker Audrey Hunter had seven kills and hit .500, while freshman middle blocker Katie Harvey had six kills and hit .500 with a pair of service aces.
Junior libero McKay Tarbox added 14 digs and three service aces for the Wildcats.
The Explorers used a late push to take a 24-22 lead in the opening set, but back-to-back kills by Hunter and sophomore outside hitter Rebecca Fuchs tied the set at 24-24 and La Salle committed consecutive attacking errors as Weber State claimed the set to go up 1-0 in the match.
The Wildcats came roaring out in the second set and never trailed, breaking away from a 12-12 tie to score 13 of the last 19 points in the set and take a 2-0 lead.
The final set was perhaps WSU's best set of the season as it hit .593, with 17 kills and just one error, as the Wildcats pulled away from a 3-3 tie to coast to the sweep.
Against Temple, Biggs again led the Wildcats with nine kills and a .208 hitting percentage, but Weber State fell 25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19 to the streaking Owls, who won their sixth straight match.
The Wildcats hit just -.009 against in the match, but did block solidly, recording 10.5 team blocks.
Harvey had five blocks, while Biggs, senior outside hitter Shanae Burgin, and freshman outside hitter Ciera Borho each had three. Tarbox added 17 digs and a service ace.
Playing just 45 minutes after completing the match with La Salle, Weber State raced out to an early 4-0 lead in the opening set, but Temple caught fire and scored seven straight points to take the early lead and gradually expanded it to the final 11-point margin.
In the second set the Owls scored seven of the first 10 points and used runs of 6-0 and 5-0 to pull away from the Wildcats and open a 2-0 lead in the match.
With Temple up 18-11 in the third set, Weber State finally grabbed some momentum and used a 10-2 surge to take a 21-20 lead. The Owls tied things up at 22 and 23, but a kill by freshman middle blocker Tanisha Langston and an attack error by Temple gave the Wildcats the set to make it a 2-1 match.
An early 5-0 surge put the Owls up 10-4 in the fourth set and the Wildcats could get no closer than three as Temple closed things out.
Weber State will be back in action on Sunday against American (10 a.m.) and tournament host Penn (4 p.m.) as action continues at the tournament.
