Nov. 6, 2005

Box Score

Villanova University (20-8, 7-4 BIG EAST) snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 win over the University of Connecticut Huskies (13-13, 5-7 BIG EAST) this afternoon in Jake Nevin Field House on Senior Day.

The game scores were 30-19, 30-23, and 30-18.

This is Villanova's first win over the Huskies since November 2, 1997 when the `Cats pulled out a 3-1 victory. Prior to this afternoon, UConn had won the last eight straight meetings. With the win, `Nova posted its first 20-win season since 1997 when the `Cats went 20-9, 9-2 in the BIG EAST and made an NCAA Tournament appearance.

The teams were evenly matched in the first set, trading points until a kill by senior middle hitter Megan Crawley gave UConn a brief advantage at 10-9. A kill by Villanova's senior outside hitter Celine Nguyen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.) tied the game at 10-10, and a six-point run capped by a kill from freshman outside hitter Alona Cherkez (Crimea, Ukraine) gave `Nova an 18-12 lead and forced a Husky time out.

The Wildcats closed out the set with two separate four-point runs: one started at 19-14 by a kill from Cherkez, the other at 26-17 after a kill from sophomore middle blocker Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.).

Villanova began game two in the hole, 3-1, after three straight errors. The `Cats climbed back in and took the lead 5-4 on a Sellers kill. A block by Crawley and senior setter Jenny Neelands tied the game at seven apiece. Neither team was able to gain the lead after that, resulting in seven straight side outs. Connecticut briefly took the advantage, 15-14, after a double contact call on the `Cats. A Nguyen service ace tied the set at 17-17, and a UConn attack error gave Villanova the lead in the game for good, 18-17.

The Huskies got to within three of the Wildcats, 21-18, when Crawley recorded her 1,000th career kill on a back row attack. She finished the match with 1,007 career kills. Two consecutive kills by Cherkez ended the game.

Villanova started the final stanza with a 10-6 lead after an attack error by UConn's freshman middle hitter Lorelle Schaub. The `Cats extended their edge to 17-12 on a service error by Husky sophomore defensive specialist Julie Pickard. `Nova was never really in danger in the third game; the closest the Huskies came was within three points, 18-15, on a Crawley kill.

Villanova used an 11-2 rally, begun by Nguyen's kill at 19-15 and ended by a kill from Cherkez at 29-17 to put away UConn.

Cherkez led all players with 17 kills. She also recorded a .343 hitting percentage, two aces and three blocks. Senior outside hitter Dana Kabashima (Santa Monica, Calif.) was nearly perfect on the afternoon, posting 10 kills on 14 attempts with no errors to hit a career-best .714. She also had 11 digs for her fourth double double of the season.

Villanova honored its four seniors in a pre-match ceremony. Senior Megan Abbott (Jacksonville, Fla.) compiled 244 career kills and 116 career blocks in three years before injuries forced her to a student assistant position as a senior. Libero Megan Bye (Englewood, Colo.) has played in all but two games this season to total 285 games in 94 matches for her career. She has 634 career digs, including a career-high of 33 in the five set win over West Virginia in 2004.

Kabashima has 736 career kills and was one of two 'Cats to reach and surpass 1,000 career digs this season. After this afternoon's match, she totals 1,110 in four years. Kabashima has been something of an ironwoman for the 'Cats, playing in 110 of the 118 matches contested in her four years at 'Nova. Nguyen has 791 kills in her career and was the other 'Cat to pass the 1,000 career dig plateau. She now has 1,239. Nguyen has appeared in 356 games in 104 matches during her career.