Nov. 16, 2003

Box Score

VILLANOVA, PA. - The Villanova volleyball team dropped a 3-1 contest to Connecticut in BIG EAST action on Sunday at Jake Nevin Field House. The Huskies posted scores of 30-25, 26-30, 31-29 and 30-27. The loss stopped the Wildcats' win streak at nine matches.

Despite the loss, Villanova clinched the fourth spot in the BIG EAST Tournament by virtue of its win over St. John's on Saturday combined with Virginia Tech's loss to Miami.

Jamie Hadenfeldt led UConn to a game one win, as the Huskies opened up a 7-3 lead on a Megan Crawley kill. The Wildcats rallied back to go ahead 14-11 on a kill by Katie Lanting. Then Hadenfeldt and Julie Erbez sparked the Huskies' attack the rest of the way.

The Wildcats rebounded in game two, bouncing back from deficits of six and seven points. Villanova tied the game at 21-21 on a kill by Celine Nguyen and then took the lead on a UConn attack error. With the game tied at 26-26, Kate Tucker and Lanting teamed for a block followed by another team block by Dana Kabashima and Lanting. A Lanting kill and an ace by Jennifer Badran-Grycan finished off the 30-26 win for Villanova.

Game three belonged to Villanova early, as Megan Abbott, Nguyen and Lanting helped give the squad a 16-7 cushion. Crawley brought the Huskies back to within 19-15, but Villanova did not relinquish the lead until UConn tied the game at 29-29. Brittany Conover smacked a kill and a Villanova attack error gave the Huskies a 31-29 win.

With game four tied at 24-24, UConn rattled off three quick points to build a 27-24 lead. A kill by Nguyen and a UConn attack error brought Villanova within two, 28-26, but that was as close as the Wildcats would get.

Lanting smacked a match-high 21 kills to go along with three solo blocks and five block assists. Nguyen tallied 15 kills and 13 digs, while Erin Birunas finished with 14 kills and three block assists. Sam Hartwell led Villanova defensively with 25 digs, while Jennifer Edwards and Badran-Grycan registered 23 and 26 assists, respectively.

For UConn (20-12, 6-6), Crawley sparked the attack with 19 kills, while Conover finished with 13 kills and Hadenfeldt added 13.

Villanova (14-14, 7-5) will meet top-seeded Pittsburgh in the opening round of the BIG EAST tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Joyce Center. No. 2 Notre Dame will meet No. 3 Miami in the other semifinal.