JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Ania Ruiz collected 19 kills and four solo blocks Friday night as the University of Tampa defeated Northern Kentucky University, 30-19, 30-28, 30-28, at the University of North Florida Labor Day Classic.
Ruiz also added a .325 hitting percentage for Tampa, which is ranked No. 2 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. Cammi Welter led NKU (0-2) with 15 kills, while Kristin Koralewski added 10 kills and three service aces.
Tampa (1-0) posted a .459 hitting percentage in the first game en route to a 30-19 win. The Spartans, who finished with a .336 hitting percentage for the match, pulled out two-point wins in the next two games to capture the victory.
In the opener Friday, the University of North Dakota posted a 30-23, 30-24, 25-30, 30-19 win over NKU. Heather Hanson led the Sioux with 17 kills and a .424 hitting percentage, while Kristi Glassmann and Emily Tuve each added 14 kills.
Welter paced NKU with 20 kills, and Nicole Salisbury added 10 kills and 16 digs. The Norse, however, managed just a .179 hitting percentage and lost the blocking battle by an 18-6 margin.
NKU freshman setter Andrea Lanham collected a total of 73 assists, 22 digs and six service aces in the two matches. NKU libero Amber Timmons finished with a total of 28 digs in the two matches, including 20 against North Dakota.
NKU will meet 20th-ranked North Florida and No. 8 Barry (Fla.) University on Saturday.
|
Cammi Welter |