Oct. 10, 2008

Final Stats

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Georgetown University volleyball team (10-8, 3-2 BIG EAST) fell at McDonough Arena for just the second time this season to Syracuse (10-9, 3-2 BIG EAST) in its homecoming match on Friday evening. The loss snaps the Hoyas two-match conference winning streak.

Senior Kit Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside) led the Hoyas with 11 kills, while senior Caitlin Boland (Naperville, Ill./Benet Catholic) had 38 assists and freshman Tory Rezin (Morris, Ill./Morris) had 23 digs in the loss.

Sara Manley opened the first set with a strong kill, but it would be the Orange who rushed out to an early, 8-4 lead. The Hoyas would rally back to within one point, 11-10, but Syracuse ran off the next five points to open a 16-10 lead forcing a GU timeout. After the timeout the Orange continued to roll, expanding the lead to eight points, 20-12, as Williams took another timeout. It would not help, as Syracuse closed out the first set 25-15. Caitlin Boland had 11 assists and Manley and Niesen each had four kills in the first set for Georgetown.

The Hoyas and Orange traded points through the early parts of the set until GU opened up a 12-8 lead behind a Caitlin Boland service ace. SU would not let the Hoyas extend the lead beyond four, eventually tying the score at 17, even taking a 20-19 advantage. But after a GU timeout, the Hoyas scored two straight capped by a Courtney Cohen kill to tie the score at 21, as Syracuse called for time. Syracuse came out with two straight points to take a 23-21. Kit Niesen answered with a kill and two blocks and freshman Ashley Malone (San Jose, Calif./St. Francis) served an ace to preserve a 25-23 second set win.

In the third set the Hoyas fell behind quickly, as Noemie Lefebvre served the Orange out to a 4-1 lead. GU could not counter, as Syracuse would lead by as many as 14. Boland led a late 7-1 run, but it would be too late, as SU won the third set 25-14.

Georgetown took control of the third set early, jumping out to an early 3-1 lead, capped by a Dorismond kill. Again Syracuse would keep the set close, never letting the Hoyas lead by more than two before running off seven straight points to take a 14-10 lead. The Hoyas were never able to catch up, as Syracuse cruised to a 25-17 third set victory to clinch the match.

NOTES: Georgetown hosted the DIG PINK 2008 National Breast Cancer Awareness Rally prior to Friday night's game. Pink t-shirts were worn in the stands and funds were raised in the fight against breast cancer.