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Villanova, Pa.--On Sunday, Sept. 23, the Villanova volleyball team hosted their second consecutive Big East match, falling to the University of Connecticut Huskies. Connecticut proved too much for the Wildcats, defeating Villanova in three straight games, 30-26, 30-23 and 30-15.

In game one with the Huskies leading 22-21, freshman Kerri Sullivan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) stepped up to deliver a key kill to even the score. The Wildcats could not get closer however as Connecticut's Christine Lambert (Lancaster, Calif./Paraclete) and Julie Erbez (Stockton, Calif./ Lincoln) each recorded two kills a piece en route to the 30-26 game one victory.

The Huskies would go on to control the next set jumping out to a big lead in game two. Trailing 23-17, a thunderous kill by junior hitter Leah Mathews (Poway, Calif./Our Lady of Peace) pulled the 'Cats within five points. The two teams would then trade kills for the next five possessions until a Villanova attack error gave the Huskies a 27-20 lead. Connecticut's Jamie HadenFeldt (Benicia, Calif./Benicia) and Erbez delivered kills down the stretch giving the Huskies a commanding 2-0 lead. Lambert and Erbez dominated the Huskies offensive attack combining for 19 kills in the second game.

After an early timeout called by Villanova head coach Allison Keeley in the third set, the Wildcats would respond to take a 7-4 lead. Two service aces, however, from Julie Erbez began a Huskies rally pulling Connecticut within one point of the Wildcats. At the 10-10 mark in the last set, the Huskies would begin to pull away from the 'Cats capitalizing on four Villanova errors while taking the next 10 of 11 points.

In the loss, Villanova was led by senior Jacqueline Fugiel (Roscoe, Ill./Honenegah) who registered a team-high 10 kills. Mathews tallied eight kills and eight digs and senior blocker Libby Sybilrud (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School) chipped in with eight kills and seven digs.

The Wildcats fall to 4-6 overall with the loss and 0-2 in Big East play. With the victory, the Huskies improve their overall season record to 7-2 and even their conference record to 1-1.

Villanova will return to action when the host the University of Pennsylvania Quakers on Friday, Sept. 28 in a non-league match-up. Match time is set for 7:00 P.M. at the Jake Nevin Field House.