Box Score
HONOLULU, Hawaii — A furious late-match rally by Wichita State propelled the Shockers past the Dons in five sets in the final game of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The team alternated the first four set wins with Wichita State winning by scores of 21-25, 25-19, 13-25, 27-25 and 15-8. The Shockers were picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley conference and are receiving votes in the top 25 poll.
"We were looking for the players to respond after a tough loss against Arizona and we felt like we did," USF coach Gilad Doron. "In game three we played exceptionally well, but give Wichita credit for sticking with its game plan and waiting for the breaks to go its way.
"These are necessary growing pains for a young team, but if we approach it in a positive way we know we can be very good down the road."
Both teams began the match hitting well over .300 with Valentina Zaloznik effective early for the Dons. USF claimed the first two-point lead of the match at 10-8, later going up 18-16. The Shockers were never able to create more than a one-point lead during the entire first set.
USF outside hitter Jocelyn Levig notched five kills in the first set with Zaloznik totaling four and Malina Terrell claiming three kills on three swings. Two of Zaloznik's kills gave the Dons their 24th and 25th points.
The Dons picked where they left off in the second set, using service aces from Levig and Zaloznik to get out to an 8-6. By mid-set it was the Shockers that took over, maintaining a two-point lead then a three-point lead off of well-placed kills to the back line and corners. Wichita State hit .440 in the set.
Cox set the tone in third set by hammering home a kill to end a long rally. Freshman Rebecca Kopilovitch kept the Dons on track with back-to-back service aces to give the Dons a 6-4 lead, which they would not relinquish. USF's serving kept Wichita State off balance, denying the Shockers from getting into their offense and hitting negative .057 for the set. USF hit a healthy .310 with setter Joan Caloiaro spreading the ball between Cox, Levig, Terrell and Hadley Simmons.
USF seized the lead again in the fourth set with Caloiaro leading her hitters to a .429 hitting percentage. The Dons held a three-point for the majority of the set until the Shockers found their rhythm late in the set and took their first lead at 22-21. USF fought off set-point twice before a Wichita State block forced the match to five sets.
The Shockers jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the final set, hitting better than .400. After building a lead of 9-3, Wichita State claimed the set and the match by a score of 15-8. It was the Shockers first win against the Dons in program history.
Caloiaro turned in her second consecutive double-double with 44 assists and 16 digs. Three Dons finished with double-digit kills, led by Levig's 15 kills to go along with eight digs and four blocks. Levig earned her first career all-tournament team selection after a stellar weekend of play during which she averaged 3.62 kills and 1.54 digs per set.
Zaloznik totaled 13 kills, seven blocks and five service aces. Terrell hit .348 to finish with 10 kills. Kopilovitch powered USF's defensive effort with 23 digs with three aces, while Leanna Ludes chipped in with eight digs. Cox added 12 digs and eight assists.
USF returns to action at 6 p.m. on Sept. 2 against Columbia in its opening game of the USF Asics/Powerade Challenge at War Memorial Gym.
