Nov. 18, 2005

Box Score

Louisville, Ky. - No. 8 Villanova (21-11) played the match of the season and nearly upset the No. 1 Irish of Notre Dame (25-2) in the quarter-finals of the BIG EAST Tournament this afternoon in the Kentucky International Convention Center.

The game scores were 30-28, 24-30, 26-30, and 23-30.

"I thought the girls played really well," said head coach Gilad Doron after the match. "They gave everything they had, and I'm really proud of them."

The two teams were tied at a game apiece when the Wildcats went on a 14-2 run at the end of the third game to erase all but one point of Notre Dame's 12-point lead. A kill from second team All-BIG EAST player Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.) kicked off the run, and it was capped by an Adrian Semrau (Grafton, Ohio) kill off an Irish overpass to get the 'Cats to 26-25. Lauren Brewster came up big for ND, getting a kill that ended the rally and putting up a solo block to give the Irish game point. Villanova saved one game point with a kill down the center from Dana Kabashima (Santa Monica, Calif.). But a solo block by Carolyn Cooper gave Notre Dame the game and a 2-1 set lead.

The Wildcats and the Irish remained closely matched into the decisive fourth game. There was a side out on every point until Villanova gained the lead, 7-6, on a tipped kill by Semrau. 'Nova stretched its edge to 10-7 on a kill by Dana Tartasky (Haifa, Israel). But Notre Dame tied the score, 12-12, on a Brewster kill. ND moved out in front, 13-12, on a kill on the left side by Ellen Heintzman. Notre Dame took a 20-15 lead after a service error by the 'Cats.

Villanova didn't give up, however, trimming the Fighting Irish's lead to two on a touch kill by Alona Cherkez (Crimea, Ukraine) at 23-21. But ND closed out 'Nova with a 7-1 run at the end of the match.

'Nova and ND both came out with intensity in the first game. There were ten ties and three lead changes. The 'Cats took their first lead at 7-6 on a block by Sellers and Jenna Link (Wheaton, Ill.). The Irish regained the advantage, 10-9, after an attack error by the Wildcats. They retained the lead until Kabashima connected on a kill at 17-16 off an overpass. The Wildcats took their largest lead of the game off another killed overpass, this time by Semrau, 27-23. ND hung on and got within one, 27-26, after a Wildcat attack error, but Villanova got kills from Kabashima and Celine Nguyen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.) to win the set.

In the second frame, Notre Dame took the lead, 2-1 on a kill by Adrianna Stasiuk, and never relinquished it. But neither could the Irish shake the Wildcats. Villanova stayed within five points until Notre Dame took a 26-20 lead on a block by Lauren Kelbley and Brewster. 'Nova cut ND's advantage to four, 27-23, on two straight kills by Semrau, the first down the line and the second off an Irish overpass.

The last time Villanova took a game off Notre Dame was in a 3-1 loss on Sept. 26, 2003. The Wildcats were competing in the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time since 2003 when they exited in the first round after a 0-3 loss to Pitt.

Villanova had three players in double figures for kills. Cherkez led all players with 17. She also recorded 16 digs for her 15th double double of the year. Semrau added 13 kills, a team-high .312 hitting percentage, and Kabashima totalled ten kills and four blocks. Sellers contributed eight kills, 11 digs and a match-best seven blocks.