Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision to Georgetown :: Powerful offensive attack too much for Wildcats.

Oct. 28, 2001

Villanova, Pa. - On Sunday, October 28, the Villanova Wildcat volleyball team hosted the Georgetown Hoyas in a Big East showdown held at the Jake Nevin Field House. Despite a third set victory that brought the Wildcats within one game, the 'Cats were defeated 3-1. The 30-24, 30-18, 21-30, 30-14 loss drops Villanova's overall record to 6-13 and 1-7 in conference action. With the victory, the Hoyas improve to 14-7 overall and 7-2 in the Big East.

After dropping the first two sets, Villanova exploded in game three looking to shift the momentum in their favor. Leading 10-9, the Wildcats would control the third set benefiting off nine Hoya attack errors and four kills from freshman Kerri Sullivan (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South). Villanova could not keep up their third set magic however as Georgetown responded early and often in the last set. A powerful offensive attack led by senior hitter Yulia Vtyurina and Anna Kleinsorge dismantled the 'Nova defense giving the Hoyas the 3-1 victory.

Leading the way on offense for Villanova was Sullivan who recorded a team-high 10 kills while junior hitter Leah Mathews (Poway, Calif./Our Lady of Peace) tallied eight kills. Assisting the duo was freshman Jennifer Badran-Grycan (Santa Monica, Calif./Palisades) who dished out 36 assists on the afternoon.

Defensively for the 'Cats, Badran-Grycan posted eight digs as Mathews and Jennifer Edwards (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) each added seven. At the net, Sullivan and fellow freshman Katie Lanting (Loveland, Colo./Alexander Dawson School) combined for five assisted blocks.

The Hoyas were led by Vtyurina who hurt the Wildcat defense on the afternoon registering 24 of 49 kills for a .367 hitting percentage. Sophomore Jennifer Ward tallied a game-high 48 assists, eight digs, four kills and three assisted blocks and Kleinsorge hit 13 of 19 for a .632 percentage.

Villanova will return to action this Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Philadelphia, Pa. to do battle with Philadelphia rival Temple University. The Wildcats will look to evenge an earlier season loss to the Owls when the square off at 7:00 P.M.