Sept. 25, 2005

Box Score

Morgantown, W.V.--The 2005 meeting of the Villanova Wildcats (12-3, 2-0 BIG EAST) and the West Virginia University (10-5, 0-2 BE) looked eerily reminiscent of last year's contest, when the two teams went to five before Villanova pulled out the win. This year, the Wildcats only needed four games to defeat the Mountaineers and win their second straight match.

The game scores were 22-30, 30-19, 30-26, and 30-22.

Villanova seemed out of sorts throughout game one. The Mountaineers raced out to a 7-1 lead mostly on the strength of Wildcat errors. A block assist by Dana Kabashima (Santa Monica, Calif.) and Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.) chipped away at West Virginia's 7-4 lead, but a lifting violation by Villanova pushed it back to 9-4. A kill by Kelly Mullins increased the Mountaineers' advantage to 11-5, and an attack error by `Nova's Adrian Semrau (Grafton, Ohio) forced a time out by the `Cats.

Villanova caught a break with a service error by WV that cut the `Neers' lead to 14-7. A solo block by Sellers made it 17-11 WVU. But the `Cats had trouble getting any closer than six points. The Mountaineers pulled out to a ten-point advantage, at 25-15, before they committed a service error. Villanova got to 27-21 on two aces by Jenna Link (Wheaton, Ill.). WVU had a knack for finding the open spot on the floor from there out and won the set 30-22.

WVU got out to a similar start in the second game, taking a 4-1 lead, but this time `Nova fought back early and got back to 5-4 on a Kabashima kill. A solo block by Semrau tied it at six apiece. A net violation by the Mountaineers gave the `Cats their first lead of the match at 7-6. Semrau hit through the block to push the lead to 9-7. Kabashima connected on a kill at 14-9 to give Villanova its largest lead of the night. Sellers extended the `Cat's lead to 18-11 with two service aces, and a setting miscue by the Mountaineers gave VU a 21-11 lead.

The Mountaineers crept back into it with an ace to get within seven, at 24-17. But a WVU service error pushed the Wildcats ahead again, 28-17, and another setting miscue gave Villanova game point. A Mountaineer attack error gave `Nova the game at 30-19.

Game three was a different frame but more of the same. WVU got out to another fast start, 4-0, before ending their rally with a service error. Villanova crawled back in with a Semrau kill that made it 5-4 WVU. The score was knotted at 6-6 after a Mountaineer service error. Villanova took the lead on an attack error by West Virginia, but the Mountaineers grabbed the lead back and pushed it to 9-7 on a digging error by `Nova's Link. Villanova tied the score for the third time, 10-10, on a Semrau kill.

The set stayed close, Villanova trailing by one, 16-15, after a kill by Kabashima. A block assist by Semrau and Link gave the Wildcats the lead at 18-17 and forced a Mountaineer time out. A Sellers kill through the block tied the set again at 20-20. WVU went on a mini-run and held a 25-22 lead, but `Nova fought back and tied the game at 25 on an attack error by the Mountaineers.

The Wildcats retook the lead, 26-25, with a kill by Alona Cherkez (Ukraine, Crimea) and again at 27-26 on a kill by Semrau. Another kill by Semrau gave Villanova set point, 29-26, and Semrau put Villanova up two games to one when she finished the set with her third straight kill.

Cherkez connected on a kill, and Villanova won the first point of the fourth game, the first time all match. Celine Ngyuen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.) found a patch of floor just in front of WVU's Aurora Ebert-Santos' feet to put down a kill to get Villanova an early tie, 2-2. A setter dump by Villanova's Link tied it again at four apiece. The Mountaineers' Lisa Hough connected on a kill at 7-5, but Cherkez answered with a kill of her own two points later to tie it again.

A block assist by Kabashima and Sellers knotted the game, yet again, this time at 9-9. WVU setter Kailee Goold gave the Mountaineers a 12-10 lead with a tip, and West Virginia earned its biggest lead of the match, 15-12, after a lifting violation by `Nova's Nguyen. A Cherkez attack error extended WVU's advantage to 17-13 and induced a Villanova time out.

Semrau hit through the block as Villanova climbed back into another tie, 18-18, and the Wildcats retook the lead, 19-18. A Sellers ace caused a Mountaineer time out and gave the `Cats a 21-18 edge. A kill by Semrau and another ace by Sellers extended the Wildcats' lead to 23-18. Semrau went up alone to block WVU and earned Villanova another point. A friendly net gave Stephanie Zolna and West Virginia two points off service aces, 25-21. Kabashima put one down to end the Mountaineers' serving rally.

Ngyuen gave Villanova a 27-22 lead with a kill, and Cherkez followed with another to get the Wildcats to within two points of the win, 28-22. A service error by Goold gifted the `Cats with match point, and a kill by Sellers gave Villanova the win, 30-22.

Semrau had a team-best 15 kills, as well as seven blocks. Cherkez turned in her fifth double double of the year with 14 kills and 19 digs. Sellers was the third Wildcat in double figures with ten kills. She also recorded six blocks.