Nov. 10, 2003

VILLANOVA, PA. -

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Sitting Courtside: Villanova extended its winning streak to a seasonhigh seven matches with a 3-0 defeat of Rutgers and a 3-2 win over Seton Hall. The Wildcats improved to 12-13 overall and stand at 6-4 in the BIG EAST. Villanova trails Virginia Tech by one half game for the fourth and final berth in the conference tournament.

Wildcats on the Web: This is your last chance to catch the Wildcats live on the Internet. Their upcoming BIG EAST match against St. John's on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. is scheduled to be broadcast live over the Internet at www.villanova.com. To access the broadcast, go to the audio/video link on the top of the front page and look for the volleyball audio information.

Race for the Playoffs: With only one week remaining in the BIG EAST regular season, Notre Dame (10-0) and Pittsburgh (9-1) have clinched berths in the upcoming conference tournament. Miami enters the week in third place at 8-3, while Virginia Tech sits in the fourth spot at 7-4. St. John's and Villanova are tied for fifth place at 6-4, just a half game out of the playoffs.

Playing Both Sides: Sophomore outside hitter Celine Nguyen (Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula) sparked the Wildcats in their victories over the weekend, leading the squad in both kills and digs. Nguyen finished with 25 kills and a .274 hitting percentage to spur the offense, while also posting 32 digs in a strong defensive effort. Her 14 kills against Seton Hall marked a season high and fell one short of her career high of 15.

Racking Up Wins: With two victories over the weekend, Villanova has extended its unbeaten streak to seven matches. It is the longest winning streak since the 1998 squad won eight in a row in the middle of its season. The Wildcats have not lost since Oct. 12 when they suffered a 3-0 defeat at Miami. Their current streak includes four conference wins and three non-conference victories.

Scouting Towson: Towson brings a 22-4 overall record and perfect 12-0 mark in Colonial Athletic Assocation play into Tuesday's match. The Tigers also own a 19-game unbeaten streak and are coming off a 3-0 win over George Mason on Saturday. Sophomore middle blocker Lindsey Hardin leads the Tigers with 418 kills, while sophomore outside hitter April Hoffman has managed 307 kills. Junior Mary Clare Coghlan serves as the squad's primary setter, while junior middle blocker Liz Goubeaux is a strong presence at net with 139 total blocks. Head coach Chris Riley has compiled an 88-36 record in four years at Towson.

Scouting St. John's: St. John's is coming off a 3-0 win over Providence and owns a 25-8 overall record. The Red Storm is tied with Villanova at 6-4 in the BIG EAST standings. Sophomore hitter Jackie Ahlers is averaging better than five kills a game and has posted 571 on the season to lead the St. John's attack. Seniors Robyn Kurasaki and Rosalyn Dang split the setting duties, while junior outside hitter Yana Ruban leads the squad with 97 blocks. Joanne Persico-Smith enters her 10th season as head coach of St. John's.

Scouting Connecticut: Connecticut enters the weekend at 17- 12 overall and 4-6 in the BIG EAST after sweeping Boston College, 3-0, on Sunday. Leading the way for the Huskies are junior outside hitter Jackie Hadenfeldt and sophomore middle hitter Megan Crawley with 463 and 368 kills, respectively. Junior middle Brittany Conover has registered 118 blocks on the season, while Crawley has added 117 of her own. Senior setter Julie Erbez averages 10 assists a game for Connecticut. Head coach Kelli Myers has managed a 114-67 record during her six years at Connecticut.

Last Dance: Villanova is battling for its first trip to the BIG EAST tournament since the 1997 campaign when the Wildcats finished 20-9. Villanova defeated Connecticut 3-1 in the semifinals before losing to Notre Dame in the championship match, 3-1. The Wildcats also advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1997 where they suffered a 3-2 setback to Northern Illinois in the opening game.

Home Sweet Home: The Wildcats have packed away their travel gear for the remainder of the regular season, as all three of the squad's final matches will be played at Jake Nevin Field House. Villanova has played to a 6-3 home record and have won their last five matches played on the Main Line.

Ferocious Attack: During the Wildcats' current win streak, they have posted better hitting percentages than their opponents in six out of the seven matches. The only exception came against Seton Hall when the Pirates hit .209 and the Wildcats only .197. On average, Villanova has out-hit their opponents by .097 during their current stretch.

Lanting Looking for Career Best: With three matches left in the season, junior middle blocker Katie Lanting (Loveland, Colo./Alexander Dawson) is just 21 kills shy of her career best for kills in a season. Through 91 games this season, Lanting ranks second on the Wildcats with 271 kills. She finished with 292 kills in 112 games of action in 2002.