Nov. 13, 2008

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Villanova volleyball team concludes the 2008 regular season this week as it travels to Georgetown and USF this weekend for the final BIG EAST regular season matches. The Wildcats will take on Georgetown on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and face USF on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Villanova is still competing for a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament, so the weekend's matches will be critical.

"It is fun to be playing for something in the last weekend," head coach Josh Steinbach said. "We're looking forward to playing on the road, the team is ready and we hope to go out and come back with two more wins."

Villanova enters the weekend's matches with a 14-14 overall record and a 5-7 conference mark. Last weekend the Wildcats dropped a 3-2 match against Marquette, but rebounded with a 3-0 sweep over Syracuse. Senior Dana Tartazky was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll for her efforts last weekend. Tartazky leads the Wildcats with 3.65 kills per set, which also ranks third in the conference. Freshman Kim Maroon ranks fourth in digs with 4.02 per contest. As a team, Villanova combines for 1.93 service aces per set, leading the BIG EAST.

Georgetown also owns a 12-13 overall record and is also 5-7 in the conference. The Hoyas fell in a 3-0 sweep at Connecticut and dropped a 3-0 contest at Seton Hall in conference action last weekend. Caitlin Boland ranks eighth in the conference, dishing out 9.30 assists per set, while Victoria Rezin is collecting 3.75 digs per set. Last season the Wildcats handed Georgetown a 3-0 sweep, but the Hoyas own a 22-13 series record.

The Bulls hold a 15-12 overall record and are tied with a 5-7 conference mark. South Florida fell at St. John's and Connecticut last weekend in two 3-0 matches. Marcela Gurgel leads USF in kills and ranks first in the BIG EAST with 4.37 per contest. Gurgel also leads the conference in service aces with 0.64 per set. USF handed the Wildcats a 3-2 loss last season and own the 3-1 series record.