BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Cleveland State volleyball team wrapped up action at the Buffalo Invite Saturday, dropping a pair of tightly contested matches against UAB and Buffalo.
Audrey McConihe earned a spot on the Buffalo Invite All-Tournament Team after averaging 4.86 digs per set on the weekend. McConihe opened the weekend with a career-high 37 digs against Xavier, and followed that up with 17 digs against UAB and 14 against Buffalo to lead the Viking defense.
UAB 3, CLEVELAND STATE 2 | BOX SCORE
Cleveland State's offense was led by the duo of Lydia Latimer and Madison Quirino who both tallied 10 kills each, while Abby Miller posted 33 assists on the match.
Audrey McConihe led the Vikings with 17 digs, while Emma Walker added 14, Abby Miller posted 12 and Sarah DeGeorge chipped in 10.
For the second straight match the Vikings combined for double-digit blocks, finishing with 11.0 on the contest. Madison Olinger led the way with eight total blocks – including three solo blocks – while Madalynn Butler added four and Quirino posted three.
After dropping the first set the Vikings were able to control the majority of the second set, coming away with a 25-22 victory to even the match at 1-1.
The Vikings were able to distance themselves early on in the frame following back-to-back points from a Lydia Latimer service ace and an Abby Miller kill to put the score at 11-6, before a Madison Quirino and Madison Olinger block put CSU up 14-9 a few plays later, forcing a UAB timeout.
Cleveland State was able to hold the advantage for the rest of the frame then, as a Latimer kill gave CSU set-point at 24-21, before a UAB error gave the Vikings the 25-22 set victory.
Although UAB was able to pick up a victory in the third set, the Vikings responded with a 25-22 victory in set four. After a back-and-forth start to the frame, Cleveland State gained a sizeable lead midway through the frame, as a 6-1 scoring run gave the Vikings a 16-11 advantage on back-to-back kills from Peyton Bloomer and Quirino.
The Cleveland State lead wouldn't last long though, as UAB worked its way back into the frame, gaining a 22-21 lead, before three straight kills from Quirino set up set-point for the Vikings at 24-22. Cleveland State then captured the 25-22 set victory on yet another Quirino kill, setting up their second straight five-set match.
The Vikings would come up short in the fifth set though, as UAB posted a 15-9 victory for the five-set win.
BUFFALO 3, CLEVELAND STATE 1 | BOX SCORE
Offensively, the Vikings were led by Madison Quirino who finished with 16 kills and Laken Voss who tallied 12 kills.
Abby Miller recorded 33 assists and 10 digs for her second double-double of the weekend, while Audrey McConihe notched a team-best 14 digs and Quirino chipped in 12.
Ainslie McLaughlin led Cleveland State's blocking efforts with six blocks on the match, while Voss added three and Quirino added two.
During the first set the Vikings were able to chip away at a Buffalo lead, including a stretch of four straight points that ended on a Sarah DeGeorge service ace to bring the Vikings within one point at the 17-16 mark. Cleveland State would stay within striking distance throughout the remainder of the frame, and held off a set point, but Buffalo would eventually come away with the 25-23 first set victory.
The Vikings were then able to shift the momentum during the second set, gaining a quick 5-0 advantage before extending their lead to 7-2 a few players later on a pair of kills from Madison Quirino and Peyton Bloomer.
Cleveland State was able to hold its advantage over the next few plays, and once again extended its lead midway through the frame, gaining a 16-8 lead on back-to-back blocks from Ainslie McLaughlin and Laken Voss and McLaughlin and Bloomer.
The Vikings then closed the frame with back-to-back points, picking up the 25-15 second set victory on a McLaughlin kill to even the match at one set apiece.
Buffalo was then able to pick up a 25-15 win in set three, before capturing a 25-22 win in the fourth frame to clinch the victory.
After a back-and-forth start to the frame the Vikings were able to notch three straight points – including a pair of Voss kills – to tie the set at 12-12 midway through the frame. The two teams then traded points over the next few plays, until the Vikings gained a two-point lead at 17-15 following a Quirino kill.
Buffalo responded with a mini 2-0 run of its own, before back-to-back kills from Quirino and Madalynn Butler regained a two-point advantage for Cleveland State at 19-17. Buffalo was then able to swing the momentum back in its favor over the final portion of the fourth set, as the Bulls came away with the 25-22 victory for the 3-1 match win.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will stay on the road next weekend, taking part in the Lehigh Invitational on Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3, facing Lehigh, Rider and Buffalo.
