Sept. 9, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC - Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Buffum's (San Jose, Calif./Lynbrook) nine kills led the Georgetown University women's volleyball team to a 3-0 (30-15, 30-7, 30-22) victory over cross-town rival Howard on Saturday afternoon, September 9 in McDonough Gym. The win improved the Hoyas' record to 4-4 on the season, while Howard falls to 1-5. Georgetown hit a respectable .292 for the match off 42 kills with 14 errors in 96 attempts. Howard posted a -.109 hitting percentage for the three-game match. GU also registered nine blocks to HU's three. The Hoyas jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one before the Bison could get on the scoreboard off kills from senior middle blocker Annie Connor (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis) and freshman outside hitter Dana Dumas (Nokomis, Fla./Pine View). Howard crawled back in to make it 4-3, but Georgetown ran off four-straight points with kills from sophomore middle blocker Katherine Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside) and freshman outside hitter Kortney Robinson (Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove). Niesen also assisted on a block with senior Jessica George (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett). GU gradually pulled away and Robinson ended the contest (30-15) with back-to-back service aces. Game two saw the Hoyas record several scoring runs en route to the victory. Connor began an eight-point binge with a kill, then served for another seven points to take a 14-4 lead. Howard's Morgan Maxwell made it 14-5, but the Hoyas responded with a 13-point scoring spree, which included two aces from sophomore setter Caitlin Boland (Naperville, Ill/Benet Academy) and a kill and solo block from Niesen to push the Hoya advantage to 27-5. The Bison managed two more points, but Kiersten McKoy (Oakland, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd) helped close out the game with two kills to give GU a 30-7 win. Georgetown hit a sizzling .647 (12 kills with only one error in 17 attempts) for the game, a team best for the season.
Howard came alive in game three, challenging Georgetown for every point. The Hoyas benefited from Bison blocking and hitting errors to take a 7-2 lead before the two squads traded points. Howard would pull to within two points at 23-21, but Georgetown reeled off six-consecutive points to make the score 29-21. A GU hitting error made it 29-22 before Robinson wrapped up the match with a kill. Buffum added 12 digs and three blocks to her nine kills, while Niesen stepped up with six kills and three blocks. In addition she hit a career-high .556 (six kills with just one error in nine attempts). Senior Katie Nulty's (Santa Barbara, Calif./Laguna Blanca) 17 digs was a match high, as was Robinson's four service aces. Robinson also turned in four kills. Connor and Dumas chipped in five kills apiece in the contest, with Connor adding three blocks and Dumas four. Boland and junior Kate Fisher (Menlo Park, Calif./Menlo) once again handled setting duties for the Hoyas. Boland had a match-high 18 assists to go with two aces, and Fisher posted 13 assists, six digs and two kills. McKoy and freshman outside Jessica Hardy (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) finished with four kills on the day. Hardy's stats also included six digs and McKoy's three blocks. In the first match of the day, Coastal Carolina swept Campbell 3-0 (30-18, 30-23, 30-25). The win gave the Chanticleers their second victory of the season (2-7), while the Camels drop to 2-8. Junior outside hitter Nakia Thompson led Coastal Carolina with a match-high 11 kills and 12 digs. Senior right side hitter Rachel Templin was the leader for Campbell with nine kills. Freshman Melissa Harvey led the defensive effort with nine digs. Georgetown returns to action tonight in the final match of the Georgetown Classic Tournament. The Hoyas take on Coastal Carolina at 7:00 p.m. in McDonough Gym. |
 
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