NEW YORK – Three Cavaliers reached double-digit kills, Ashley Le tied her career high of 46 assists and Milan Gomillion recorded 18 digs in Virginia’s (2-1) 22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-22 win over Quinnipiac (1-3) Friday evening (Sept. 1) at Francis S. Levien Gymnasium. The match was the first of two for Virginia at Columbia’s Big Apple Tournament.
After Virginia got off to a shaky start and dropped the first, the Cavaliers controlled the match the rest of the way en route to its first victory of the season away from Memorial Gymnasium.
Abby Tadder (15 kills, .462 Hit%), Lauryn Bowie (13 kills) and Veresia Yon (12 kills, .429 Hit%) led the effort for the Hoos offensively. Virginia was sound in serve-receive, connecting on 76 of the Bobcats’ 78 total serves, most notably Heyli Velasquez who successfully passed all 21 QU serves sent her way. The Cavaliers successfully sided-out at least 50 percent of the time in sets 2-4.
Set 1: Quinnipiac 25, Virginia 22
The Bobcats took the opening set after UVA after the Cavaliers hit just .111 and suffered five service errors. Neither team led by more than three points throughout the first. The two teams were tied 19-19 before the Bobcats won six of the last nine points of the set. Tadder led all UVA players with four kills on eight swings after the first stanza.
Set 2: Virginia 25, Quinnipiac 21
Tallying just 10 kills in the first, the Cavaliers evened the match in the second after record 16 kills, including seven by Tadder. Virginia did not trail at any point during the second and a 5-0 run early on delivered their largest lead of game No. 2, 11-4. The Hoos stretched their lead to as much as nine, 19-10, after another unanswered UVA later in the frame. Tadder and fellow middle blocker Yon terminated four of the Cavaliers’ last four points with two each. Setter Le recorded 15 of her 46 total assists in the second.
Set 3: Virginia 25, Quinnipiac 14
The Cavaliers fired off seven straight points to close out the third with ease. UVA doubled up the Bobcats early on, 10-5, before QU signaled for time. Bowie ripped three kills amid the Hoos’ 7-0 run to close out the set. For the second straight set, UVA terminated 16 balls, and hit .341 while holding the Bobcats to just a .049 hitting percentage.
Set 4: Virginia 25, Quinnipiac 22
Brooklyn Borum (nine kills) scored three of Virginia’s first four points of the fourth to help the Cavaliers keep their foot on the gas. UVA did not surrender the lead for the…