Sept. 4, 2004
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Junior outside hitter Toni Muratore matched her career high with 23 kills to lead the 22nd-ranked Santa Clara University volleyball team in a five-game victory over Arkansas this evening at the Leavey Center. Santa Clara improves to 2-0 on the season with the 30-23, 30-32, 30-25, 26-30, 19-17 win. Arkansas' record moves to 1-2. Tonight's match marked the first meeting between these two programs. Junior Cassie Perret notched a double-double, recording 12 kills and 10 digs. Annalisa Muratore and Kim McGiven added 11 kills each. The Broncos were led defensively by freshman Caroline Walters' 27 digs. Perret and Annalisa Muratore added nine blocks each, while freshman Anna Cmaylo posted six. Arkansas saw five players reach double digits in kills, led by Jennifer Haaser's 19. She added eight blocks and four service aces for the Lady Razorbacks. Chelsey Warmack posted 18 digs to lead the Arkansas defense. A Warmack service ace gave Arkansas a 7-4 lead in game five, but the Broncos scored three straight, with a kill from Perret, a block by Perret and Cmaylo, and a service ace by Toni Muratore. Arkansas took the lead again, but the Broncos kept battling and fought off three Razorback match points. Annalisa Muratore and Kim McGiven paired for a block to bring home Santa Clara's second match point, and Perret closed the deal with her final kill of the night. The teams started slowly, as six service errors dominated the first frame. The Broncos trailed most of game two, but a Walters service ace tied the match at 22 all. Cmaylo and Perret combined for their third block of the frame to tie the game at 29-29 and Cmaylo recorded a solo stuff to give the Broncos game point. However, Arkansas rallied with kills by Haaser and Amy Allison, and earned a game victory with a service ace from Haaser. Santa Clara opened game three strong, forcing Arkansas to take an early time out to regroup. The Lady Razorbacks held SCU to a .098 hitting percentage to earn the game four victory and send the match to a decisive fifth game. Santa Clara closes its season-opening homestand tomorrow afternoon, hosting the Pacific Tigers at 2 p.m.
