Volleyball Sweeps Penn on Day Two of Big 5 Tournament

Saturday, September 19

McGonigle Hall

10:00 a.m.

Temple University

9-2

Penn

4-6

Penn

Temple University

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Volleyball Sweeps Penn on Day Two of Big 5 Tournament

9.19.15 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple volleyball team won their second-straight match of the 2015 Big 5 Tournament, sweeping Penn, 3-0, on Saturday morning at McGonigle Hall. The Owls took the match 25-20, 25-18, 25-17, moving to 9-2 overall, while the Quakers fall to 4-6.

Temple recorded its second-straight match with double-figures in blocks, as the Owls' net-minders combined for 10 team blocks. The cherry and white defense held the Quakers to just a .049 attack, as Temple notched its third-straight sweep.

Owl sophomore Irem Asci tallied 15 kills, while junior Tyler Davis added eight kills and three blocks. Junior Kirsten Overton continued her hot-hitting, recording seven kills and a .600 attack percentage, while also adding a match-best six blocks. Also for the Temple attack, sophomore Janine Simmons tallied six kills and added three blocks in the win.

Senior Sandra Sydlik dished out 34 assists in the match, also adding eight digs and three blocks. Senior Alyssa Drachslin dug a match-high 15 balls, while adding five assists. Also bolstering the defense, sophomore Dara Peric added eight digs, while senior Kayla Yingling had five.

Temple improved its hitting percentage in each set, ending with a .400 attack in the final frame. In set one, Temple built up an early lead, grabbing an 11-5 advantage on a Simmons kill. Penn took advantage of some unforced errors by the Owls to cut the lead to just one, at 18-17. However,Temple responded with three-straight kills from Asci, sparking a 7-3 run to close out the set for the Owls at 25-20.

Temple held on to a slim lead early in set two, before a 6-1 run gave the Quakers a 12-10 lead, forcing a timeout. Out of the break, the Owls quickly tied the match at 12-12 and after trading sideouts, it stood at 14-14. Two kills from Rapacz, and one from Peric in the back row, pushed the Owls ahead 19-15, and Temple was able to close out the set with a 25-18 victory.

Looking for the sweep, Temple came out swinging in the final frame. Kills from Asci and Davis sparked an 8-3 Temple run, putting the hosts in the driver's seat with a 17-12 lead. A service error halted the Temple surge, but following a sideout, the Owls pushed their lead to 22-14, backed by blocks from Overton, Sydlik, and Simmons. Penn got no closer than a seven-point deficit, as the Owls recorded 15 kills and just three errors in the set, sealing the 25-17 win.

The Owls are back in action at 7:00 p.m., taking on Villanova in the final match of the 2015 Big 5 Tournament.

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights and Interviews