Oct. 9, 2005

Box Score

Villanova, Pa. - The Villanova Wildcats (15-4, 5-1 BIG EAST) won their third straight match, a 3-0 victory over the visiting USF Bulls (1-13, 0-6 BIG EAST) this afternoon in Nevin Gymnasium.

The game scores were 30-23, 30-19, and 30-26.

Game one started out very closely. VU and USF tied on every point until a kill by senior outside hitter Celine Nguyen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.) gave Villanova a 10-9 lead. The Wildcats stayed in front of the Bulls, and a six-point run, started by a kill from junior middle blocker Adrian Semrau (Grafton, Ohio) extended `Nova's advantage to 18-11. The two teams continued to trade points until Villanova began to inch away at the end of the set. A block by freshman outside hitter Alona Cherkez (Crimea, Ukraine) made it 27-20 for VU, a Cherkez kill on a roll hit pushed the score to 28-22, and a kill by sophomore outside hitter Kelly Ludwig (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) ended the game.

After `Nova earned the first point of the second set on a dump by Cherkez, USF rolled out to a 5-1 lead, capped by a net violation called on the `Cats. Villanova worked itself back into the match and took a 7-6 lead after a block by Semrau and senior outside hitter Dana Kabashima (Santa Monica, Calif.). Three straight errors by the Bulls stretched VU's lead to 10-6. A tipped kill by sophomore middle blocker Kristina Fabris ended the Wildcats' rally. USF stayed close over the next few points and another tipped kill, this time by freshman outside hitter Stephanie Augustavo, got the Bulls to within one, 13-12.

A kill by sophomore middle blocker Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.) ended the Bulls' hope for tying the score and kick-started a 10-3 rally by the Wildcats. A block by freshman middle hitter Ashley McDowell and a back row tip by USF teammate Fabris momentarily slowed Villanova's momentum, but the Wildcats held on to win the second set.

USF again got off to a quick start in the third game, taking a 6-2 lead on a kill by junior right side hitter Johari Williams. Villanova climbed back into the set, and a Bull attack error combined with a Sellers kill gave the Wildcats a 13-12 advantage, one they wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the match.

USF didn't panic and tied the game three times, at 14 on a block by junior libero Ashley Reavis, at 15 on a block by McDowell and Williams and then again at 23 on a service ace by Fabris. Villanova retook the lead on a block by Ludwig and Sellers and held off the Bulls for the win.

USF's Fabris led all players with 16 kills. She also recorded nine digs and two service aces. Teammate Williams joined her in double figures with 11 kills, nine digs and four blocks.

The Wildcats had three players in double figures. Semrau posted a team-high 13 kills with four blocks. Cherkez and Sellers each added ten kills. Cherkez combined her ten kills with 11 digs for her eighth, and second straight, double double of the season. She also had four blocks. Sellers registered three blocks and a team-best .333 hitting percentage.