Volleyball
Volleyball Wins Connecticut Invitational
Sept. 21, 2002
STORRS, Conn. - Sophomore Brooke Ecklund (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) had a career-high 21 kills as the Rhode Island women's volleyball team defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay 3-1 Saturday to win the Connecticut Invitational with a 3-0 record.
The Rams dropped the first game 25-30, before winning the next three 30-25, 30-26, 31-29. Rhode Island has now won three straight since starting the season 1-8, with five of those losses coming to Top 25 teams.
Ecklund hit .349 for the match and added eight digs for the Rams (4-8). Senior setter Juliana Valencia (Cali, Columbia) was named tournament MVP after dishing out 59 assists and adding nine digs and six kills.
Sophomore Kaleena Miller (Mahopac, N.Y.) earned all-tournament honors after her third double-double of the weekend, a 17-kills and 13-dig peformance.
Junior Michelle Fulton (Dana Point, Calif.) had 16 kills and sophomore Abby Thornbladh (Ann Arbor, Mich.) added nine. Junior Mary Kate Reardon (Bellmore, N.Y.) had 14 digs and six kills, and junior Amy Kauppila (Spokane, Wash.) registered 17 digs.
The Rams defeated host Connecticut 3-2 on Friday and edged Ohio 3-2 earlier in the day Saturday. Ohio defeated Connecticut 3-0 to take second-place in the tournament. Wisconsin-Green Bay finished third with a win over Connecticut, which finished 0-3 in the tournament.
Rhode Island opens Atlantic 10 play on Friday at La Salle and plays at Temple on Saturday.
Rhode Island 3, Wisconsin-Green Bay 1 Rhode Island (4-8) 25 30 30 31 Wisconsin-Green Bay (4-6) 30 25 26 29
Connecticut Invitational All-Tournament Team
MVP - Juliana Valencia, Rhode Island
Kaleena Miller, Rhode Island
Laura Haeman, Ohio
Lindsay Judice, Ohio
Christine Lambert, Connecticut
Janelle Tomlinson, Wisconsin-Green Bay
