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Bulldogs Open Horizon League Season With Win Over Phoenix
Sept. 27, 2002
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. - Sophomores Areal Bienemy and Kali Carter combined for 23 kills to lead the Butler volleyball team to a three-game victory (30-21, 30-26, 30-21) over UW-Green Bay on Friday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The match was the Horizon League opener for both teams, as Butler improves to 8-9, 1-0, while the Phoenix falls to 5-9, 0-1. Bienemy led the Bulldogs attack with 13 kills, including a 5-0-5 performance in game one. Carter added 10 kills and sophomore libero Kamy Peters led all players with 15 digs. Amanda Matthews recorded the only double-double on the match with 39 assists and 11 digs. Butler limited UW-Green Bay to a .071 hitting percentage in game one, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 30-21 victory. The Bulldogs burst out of the gates, as a pair of Bienemy kills gave Butler a 6-2 lead. Butler continued to pull away, as Laura Klancnik's ace put the Bulldogs up 22-12. Krystie Lang's kill down the line brought the Phoenix back to within seven, 23-16, but the Bulldogs' offensive attack was too much for the visitors as they closed out the match winning four of the last five points. Game two was a much different story, as it featured 11 ties and seven lead changes. After a 22-all tie, Klancnik put one away on a tip to the middle give Butler the advantage. A pair of Carolyn Gruesbeck aces put Butler on top 26-23, and a kill by Keely Norris followed by a Phoenix hitting error put the Bulldogs at game point, 29-23. But, UW-Green Bay fought back, as a Janelle Tomlinson kill pulled the Phoenix to within three, 29-26. But, Areal Bienemy's blazing kill to the back line ended the visitors charge, as Butler won 30-26. Game three was also tightly contested with the two teams heading into the homestretch at a 17-all tie. Back-to-back kills by Gruesbeck and Bienemy pushed Butler out front, 21-17 and then another Klancnik ace, her third of the match, gave the Bulldogs the 24-18 lead. UW-Green Bay never could recover from the setback, as the Bulldogs went on to win, 30-20. Tomlinson paced the Phoenix with 11 kills, while Lang added six kills and 11 digs. Setter Leslie Kuhn collected 30 assists on the match. Butler will host UW-Milwaukee tomorrow in another league battle. Match time is slated for 4 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse. |
