Sept. 5, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Villanova volleyball team ( 5-1) dropped its first match of the season falling 3-2 (25-9, 23-25, 25-20, 18-25, 13-15) in a hard fought match to Temple (3-3) at the Big 5 Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Three Wildcats posted double figure kills as sophomore Morgan Petkovich led the squad with a career-best 24 kills and just one error to post a .511 hitting percentage. Freshman Krista Andersen hit a career-high 22 kills and had three service aces. Sophomore Maggie Mergen added 10 kills.

Senior Chelsea Graman dished out a match-high 56 assists, while collecting 11 digs for her first double-double of the season.

Sophomore Kim Maroon tallied a career-best 28 digs, while senior Amy Gulyas added 12. The Wildcats combined to hit .304 as a team, while holding Temple to .283, despite the loss.

Andersen served back-to-back aces in the first set as Villanova jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead forcing Temple to call timeout. After the break, the Wildcats extended their lead to 16-5 as Temple called its final timeout. Senior Amy Gulyas served three consecutive aces to stay in front, 22-6, and served the winning kill in the set as Temple could not return the ball to give the Wildcats a 25-9 victory. `Nova hit a blistering .577 as a team with no errors, while holding the Owls to just .111.

An ace from Maroon tied the second frame at 8-8 and the teams tied again at 10-10 before Temple jumped ahead. The Wildcats called timeout trailing 21-17 and back-to-back kills from Andersen after the break put them to within two points, 21-19, but Temple regained control to score two unanswered points. Down 24-21, Petkovich connected on a kill to extend the Wildcats' life, but Temple took the second set, 25-23. Andersen had 10 kills in the set.

Villanova got on the board first in the third set and did not trail in the set. Andersen had six kills, while the Wildcats hit .289 as a team.

The Wildcats trailed in the fourth frame 10-16, but closed to within a point, 11-10, as Temple called a timeout. After the break, the Owls scored six unanswered points before Petkovich connected on a kill to end the run. Villanova used its last timeout trailing 19-14 after Temple notched an ace and could not grab a lead. A block from Andersen kept the `Cats in the set, but Temple connected on a kill to win, 25-18.

In the fifth and final set Villanova got on the board first and jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead using three kills from Petkovich. After the Owls called a timeout they came within two points, 7-5, but VU held on to switch sides on the court leading 8-5. After a long volley, Temple tied the set at 9-9 and forced the Wildcats to call timeout. Temple grabbed the lead after the break scoring two unanswered points to go ahead 11-9 as `Nova used its final timeout. Back-to-back aces from Gulyas put VU back in front, 12-11 as Temple used its last timeout. After two more ties, the Owls served for match point leading 14-13 and won the final point to earn the match victory.

Temple's Yun Yi Zhang led the Owls with a match-high 33 kills and also collected 10 digs.

The Wildcats are back on the court Friday, Sept. 11 to begin the Villanova Classic facing UMBC in the first home match of the season at 7:00 p.m.