Volleyball Blanks Temple, 3-0

(boxscore)

11/25/05- The Long Island University volleyball team defeated Temple, 3-0 (30-28, 30-28, 30-28), on Friday afternoon at McGonigle Hall. The victory avenged the Blackbirds’ 3-1 loss to the Owls earlier this season.

Senior Lizelle Jackson (Palmdale, Calif.) led three LIU players in double-figure kills with 18. Sophomore Martina Wagner (Friedrichshafen, Germany) tallied 12 kills, while senior Jade Gold (Jupiter, Fla.) added 11.

In a match that saw numerous rallies and lead changes, the LIU defense was the difference holding Temple to a .162 hitting percentage through the first two games. The Blackbirds took each of the first two stanzas, 30-28.

The third game saw the Owls jump out to an early 14-8 advantage. The Blackbirds, behind kills from Jackson and Gold, ran off six consecutive points to knot the game at 14-14. Although they were outhit .303 to .200 in the game and trailed 26-22, LIU overcame the deficit and broke a 28-28 tie with two straight points to take the match.

Senior setter Ivana Vasiljevic (Brcko, Bosnia & Herzegovina) notched 44 assists while junior libero Alexis Reed (Burtonsville, Md.) recorded a match-high 17 digs.

Patricia Vernon had 12 kills on .321 hitting to lead the Owls.

The Blackbirds finish preparation for the NCAA tournament on Saturday afternoon as they take on Albany at 2:00 pm. The Great Danes defeated LIU, 3-0, at the Fairfield Invitational on Sept. 24.