Oct. 8, 2005

Box Score

Villanova, Pa. - Villanova University (14-4, 4-1 BIG EAST) defeated Georgetown University (5-12, 1-4 BIG EAST) 26-30, 30-18, 30-25, and 30-25 in a marathon 2 hour and 26 minute four-set come-backer in Nevin Gymnasium this afternoon.

Villanova took an early 4-1 lead in game one, but Georgetown climbed back in and tied the game at eight apiece after a net violation by the Wildcats. The teams battled back and forth and tied it again at 18-18 after a friendly net gave Villanova's Alona Cherkez (Crimea, Ukraine) a service ace.

The Hoyas moved out to a 24-22 lead on an attack error by `Nova's Adrian Semrau (Grafton, Ohio), and a block assist by Jenny Weed and Katherine Niesen gave Georgetown a solid 26-22 advantage. Double contact by VU gifted the Hoyas with game point.

Villanova came flying out of the gates in game two, taking a 10-2 lead. Georgetown fought back and got as close as 17-15 when Cherkez was called for double contact. But the Wildcats reeled off seven straight points, sparked by a kill from setter Jenna Link (Wheaton, Ill.) and capped by a service ace from Celine Nguyen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.).

An attack error momentarily slowed down the offensive, but a kill by Cherkez, 24-16, set off another five-point rally by the `Cats. A setting miscue by the Hoyas made it game point before VU committed a lift and an attack error to decrease the team's lead to 29-18. A Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.) kill sealed game two for Villanova.

The `Cats controlled the beginning of the third set until the Hoyas started to make a move after a VU attack error at 16-12. A block by Georgetown's Annie Connor and Katie Nulty got the Hoyas to within two, 20-18, and a kill by Jessica George narrowed Villanova's lead to 20-19. Sellers answered with a kill to stave off the GU attack and another Sellers kill at 22-20 forced a Hoya time out.

A Connor kill again got Georgetown to within one, 22-21, but Villanova eased back out to a 26-22 lead on a Semrau kill. The Hoyas saved two game points after a net violation on the Wildcats made it 29-24, and a kill by Weed off a set from Kate Fisher closed the gap to 29-25, but a service error by the Hoya libero Rachel Barton ended the game.

This time it was Georgetown who started quickly, taking a 3-0 lead in the final set. Villanova came storming back and took a 12-9 advantage, the largest of the set so far, after a service ace by Emily Brown (Glen Rock, Pa.). The `Cats stretched their advantage to 15-9 on a Cherkez kill and stayed out in front of the Hoyas by at least six points until a block assist by Weed and Niesen narrowed Villanova's edge to 19-15.

Georgetown cut the lead to three, 22-19, on a kill by Rachel Nelson but that was as close as the Hoyas got until 28-25 when a tipped kill by Weed found the floor. Semrau earned game point for the Wildcats with a throw at the net, and an attack error by Weed ended the match.

Villanova had three players in double figures for kills. `Nova's Sellers led all players with 21. She also recorded 14 digs for a double double, a hitting percentage of .395, and five blocks. Cherkez added 16 kills and 14 digs for her seventh double double of the year. Semrau contributed 18 kills and six blocks.