Villanova University

Sept. 1, 2009

Box Score

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Villanova volleyball team (4-0) swept Long Island, 3-0 (25-9, 25-20, 25-15) at the Wellness Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Tuesday evening to keep a perfect record at the start of the season.

Villanova hit just six errors in the match for a combined .438 hitting percentage, while holding the Blackbirds (0-3) to .011.

Sophomore Morgan Petkovich led the squad with 16 kills and just one error to hit .556. Sophomore Maggie Mergen added 11 kills, while classmate Kim Maroon collected 14 digs. Sophomore setter Courtney Oertli dished out 40 assists.

The Wildcats opened the first set with a 15-4 lead that extended to 19-6 as freshman Kara Chatham served an ace forcing Long Island to use its final timeout. They would not relinquish the lead as senior Amy Gulyas served for set point at 24-9 and freshman Krista Andersen slammed a kill to take the first set, 25-9. Villanova had just one error in the first set and hit .500 as a team, while the Blackbirds were -.211 combined.

Villanova hit 14 kills with just two errors as a team in the second stanza winning, 25-20. Long Island got on the board first, but the Wildcats took a lead and didn't trail again. Mergen served an ace at 23-19 to set `Nova up for set point, but gave the Blackbirds another try on an error, though sophomore Maria Nolan was able to hit a kill on the next play for the win.

The teams traded points back and forth to begin the third frame, but the Blackbirds called timeout when Villanova took a 7-6 lead. Long Island used its final timeout with the Wildcats leading 16-13, which extended to 22-15 following the break. Petkovich hit a kills to go up 23-15 and freshman CeCe Twitty connected on a kill to set VU up for match point. Petkovich slammed the match winning kill as the `Cats earned the 25-15 victory and the sweep.

Villanova will be in action next at the first Big 5 Tournament at Penn beginning Friday, Sept. 4 at 4:00 p.m. against La Salle.