Rhody seniors hit end of road with Fordham University win

11/19/08 - The University of Rhode Island women's volleyball team dropped its final game of the year against Fordham University, 3-1.It was senior night for URI, and a traditional ceremony was held honoring the team's three seniors before the game. The seniors, Peggy Doino, Chinny Okpara, and Jillian Bekke, started the match.

Junior Caitlyn Welsh recorded 15 kills and 13 digs to finish off the year. Freshman Kayla Wilson had 13 kills for the Rams. Okpara (3 kills, 14 digs) and Doino (23 digs) both played well in their final games as Rams.

With the larger-than-usual crowd behind them, the Rams had all the momentum they could want to begin the match.

"I felt that the teams were evenly matched," head coach Bob Schneck said. "The momentum from the crowd really helped us."

The Rams started out hitting the ball hard and hustling to make contact.

URI jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the first game. As it progressed, Fordham was frustrated by the Rams defense, resulting in a lot of hitting and passing errors.

After the Rams took a 10-4 lead, Fordham took a timeout to try and slow things down. Coming out of the timeout, Fordham was more collected and started to catch up with Rhody.

Fordham got Rhode Island's lead down to 15-13, but back-to-back kills by sophomore Lauren McIntosh put the Rams back on track. The Rams pushed their way to a 23-19 lead, and back-to-back kills by Wilson ended the game.

A big hit by McIntosh to begin game two helped URI gain momentum immediately. The Rams tied up the game at five on a play that featured hustle from both teams, sending the crowd into an eruption as Welsh got the kill.

Wilson kept the Rams in the game with big kills, but URI still faced a deficit of 20-15 late in the game.

Rhody rallied for the next three points to draw the game close, but Fordham earned five of the next six points to win the match 25-19.

"We were having a tough time stopping the middles," Schneck said. "We need our serving to be tougher."

Rhode Island came out of halftime hitting the ball well, but attack and service errors kept Fordham in the game. Welsh and Wilson continued their successes as the game went back and forth until the score was tied at 18.

Fordham then went on a 5-2 run to take a commanding 23-20 lead. Facing this deficit, there was little room for error. Welsh earned a kill to close in on the lead, but a Fordham kill gave them game point. The Rams scored the next two points, but Fordham's kill ended the game and put them up 2-1.

"It's really tough to lose a lot of these really long rallies," Schneck said.

The Rams held a 13-12 lead in game four, but missed serves and attack errors gave Fordham a late 22-19 lead. After URI scored, Fordham scored on two kills to put them up 24-20.

Rallying behind Welsh's serves, URI was able to rally off three straight points to make it a one-point game. A kill by Fordham ended URI's chances, ending the game, match and season for the Rams.

"I felt that if we completed the comeback and won game four, we would have had a great shot at taking game five," Schneck said.

The Rams finished the year with a record of 14-14, going 5-8 in Atlantic 10 conference games and falling just shy of the A-10 championships. URI earned the most wins since the 2002 team when it won 16 games.

"I am really proud of them," Schneck said. "They were a joy to work with and be around. I am really excited about the future of the program."

Welsh, a leading hitter, finished the season with 338 kills and 16 double-doubles (kills and digs), and will return for her senior season next year.

McIntosh finished the year with 227 kills and 80 blocks. Doino led the defense for the season, finishing her senior year with 478 digs, averaging 4.39 digs per set.

Wilson finished a successful freshman campaign with 194 kills for Rhode Island.

"Wilson has a shot to be named to the All-Rookie Team," Schneck said. "Although she only played the front row, she really had an impact as a freshman."

The Rams have also recruited hitter Sydney Danner and setter Annie Nelson to play for the team next year, who are both top-rated prospects out of high school, Schneck said.

"We are going to be a much better team next year," Schneck said. "The setter [Nelson] will add a whole lot more to what we are going to be about.