University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
4-2
Wichita State
3-3
Pollmiller Paces #14 UT To Five Set Win
September 02, 2012 | Volleyball
WICHITA, Kan. -In the first matchup between the two programs, the 14th-ranked Tennessee volleyball team held off a Wichita State rally to defeat the Shockers, 3-2 (25-19, 28-26, 22-25, 24-26, 15-9), in the final match of the Shocker Classic.
Sophomore setter Mary Pollmiller led the charge, recording the second triple-double in school history with 49 assists, 14 digs and a career-best 11 kills. UT legend Nikki Fowler earned the school's first triple-double as a freshman at Ole Miss. Fowler finished with 19 kills, 19 assists and 18 digs in that match on Nov. 2, 2007.
"The way she ran the team - even offensively, some blocking and digging - really had an impact on the match," said head coach Rob Patrick. "Wichita State did a really good job of defending Kelsey Robinson. She got her kills, but it took her a lot of swings to do that and we needed somebody else to step up and get some kills in that match. Mary really did a great job of knowing when to attack, dumping at the right time and keeping Wichita State's defense honest."
Robinson recorded a match-high 21 kills and scooped 17 digs to notch her fifth straight double-double. Senior Leslie Cikra hit .306 in the match and added 14 kills and six blocks, while Tiffany Bakerwent for 10 kills and five rejections.
Both Pollmiller and Robinson were named to the Shocker Volleyball Classic All-Tournament Team.
Tennessee used a pair of 3-0 runs and one 4-0 stretch as Robinson, Cikra and Pollmiller combined for 11 kills in the opening set as UT took the frame, 25-19, to go ahead 1-0 in the match. The Lady Vols hit .379 as a team and held the Shockers to a .182 hitting percentage in the game. Pollmiller used her crafty dump shot to earn her three kills and dished out 10 helpers.
A closely contested second set consisted of 14 ties and five lead changes as neither team was able to gain control. The Lady Vols fought off two WSU set point chances and the Shockers fought off the same amount of set-ending chances from UT. A cross-court kill from Robinson gave the Big Orange a 26-25 lead late and Kayla Jeter put an end to the set with a service ace. Cikra, Jeter and Mercedes Vaughn each had two blocks in the game. Cikra had six kills in the set.
The Lady Vols fought off two set points once again, but late errors would cost UT as Wichita State went on to win the third game, 25-22, and keep the Lady Vols from getting their first sweep of the season.
With three consecutive kills from Baker, the Lady Vols went up 6-4 early in the fourth set and would later extend their lead to 15-10 following a 4-0 run which included three kills from Robinson. The Shockers came alive late, rallying to tie the match at 16 and then holding off two more UT match points to score three straight points and win the set, 26-24.
The Orange & White went up 6-2 early in the deciding frame and never looked back as Baker, Cikra and Pollmiller combined for eight kills to lead UT to a 15-9 victory. With the first kill of the set, Pollmiller became the second player in UT history to record a triple-double.
The Big Orange continues its preconference tournament slate next weekend when it travels to College Park, Md., to compete in the SpringHill Suites at Arundel Mills Invitational from Sept. 7-8. UT will challenge George Washington, Boston College and tournament host Maryland at the event. Tennessee is a combined 7-3 against George Washington and Maryland and will be playing the Terps for the first time ever.
