The Good 5 Cent Cigar

Issue date: 10/19/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Meghan Vendettoli Junior Chinny Okpara makes a play during last Saturday's match up against Providence College. The Rams won 3-2.

10/19/07 - The University of Rhode Island volleyball team, after being down two games to none last Saturday, came back to defeat Providence College 3-2.

"I was extremely happy to win that match," head coach Bob Schneck said. "[PC is] a team in which on film we should win. PC could do no wrong but then they broke down and we won."

The Rams came out for game three after being down two games and put the Friars away, winning 30-16. Freshmen Amy Mellard and Lauren McIntosh both had five kills each to seal the victory. The team had a .333 hitting percentage.

"Winning that third game with such a big spread gave us confidence," Schneck said.

With momentum on the Rams' side, they pushed through to win games four (30-19) and five (15-12). If a match goes to game five, the two teams only play to 15 points.

"It was a battle in the fifth with us being down 3-8 when we switched sides," Schneck said. "It was tough to rally back but once we switched sides there was no stopping us. It was exciting."

The Rams continued their high hitting percentages with a .308 in game four and a .419 in game five.

Sophomore Caitlyn Welsh had 21 kills in total. Freshman Kayla Newberg and McIntosh both had 15 kills, while Mellard finished with 12 in total. Junior Jillian Bekke had 14.

"Lauren McIntosh had a great hitting efficiency and I would like to pay special attention to my setter Kaira Kachadurian," Schneck said. "She had a personal best and played well. I would take my hat off to her."

Kachadurian had 72 assists in the five games.

URI did not start off well, losing the first two games 30-26 and 30-27. In game one, the Rams had a hitting percentage of .163 but improved in game two with a percentage of .341.

"We played a good second game," Schneck said. "We needed to play good, consistent volleyball. We did pretty well and it was a well-fought battle against an instate rival."

URI finished with a .302 hitting percentage to PC's .209.

"The girls performed well," Schneck said. "At the end, they statistically dominated their opponent."

The team is hosting La Salle University on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Keaney Gymnasium and Temple University on Saturday also at 7 p.m.

La Salle is a bottom seed but beat George Washington University on Sept. 30, so the Rams won't overlook them.

"We take no one for granted," Schneck said.

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