Pirates Take First Game of Redbird Classic

Date: September 8, 2017

By: Dalton Allison

Normal, IL- After a crushing loss in the fifth set of their match against Princeton, the Pirates needed a win to get back to their winning ways. They did just that against former Big East rival Cincinnati, taking down the Bearcats 3-1.

The Pirates started off slowly, dropping the first set 25-16. It seemed as if they were heading down the path of the match against Princeton, but junior middle blocker Abby Thelen would not allow it. Again, she led the Pirates in scoring with 18.5 points. The next set, the Pirates were decisive in the second game. They showed grit and determination, holding out for a 26-24 victory, leveling the score to one set per side.

In the third set, Seton Hall was up by as much as 20-16 and let the Wildcats back within two. A melody of kills by the Pirates and errors by Cincinnati let the Pirates escape with a win. The Pirates were strong on defense on the evening, with 46 digs over their four set stretch.

In the clinching set, the Pirates nearly reversed the score of the first game on the Wildcats. They downed them 25-17, taking their first match in the Redbird Classic. The clinching play was an error by Cincinnati.

Defensive Specialist Miranda Higginbotham led the Pirates in digs with 12, which contributed to the 46 total that they had. The Pirates also had 12 blocks, and 5 aces in the match.

Up next on the slate for the Pirates is a match with the Illinois State Redbirds, the hosts of the tournament. The match is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

 

Dalton Allison can be reached at dalton.allison@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports