Nov. 12, 2006

Box Score

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University volleyball team ended the 2006 season with a 3-0 loss to BIG EAST Conference opponent Louisville at Cardinal Arena in Louisville, Ky. The Hoyas posted an 8-19 overall record with a 2-12 mark in the league while Louisville improves to 20-6, 13-1 BE. Game scores were 17-30, 27-30, 27-30.

Game one saw the Cardinals take a quick 10-point lead when they won 12-of-14 points for a 19-9 lead. GU found a bit of rhythm off a kill from sophomore Katherine Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside), a block from freshman Dana Dumas (Nokomis, Fla./Pine View) and a service ace from sophomore Caitin Boland (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) to pull within nine (23-14), but the Cardinal lead was too much to overcome as Louisville went on to win game one, 30-17.

Georgetown jumped out to a 10-6 lead to start game two off critical kills from sophomore Jessica Buffum (san Jose, Calif./Lynbrook), senior Annie Connor (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis) and Niesen. However, the Cardinals would come back to tie the game at 15-15. The game remained tight as three consecutive Cardinal errors left Louisville with a 26-25 lead. Another Niesen kill would keep the Hoyas in game two, but a key block and two kills from Louisville would give them game two by a score of 30-27.

Game three saw Louisville pull away, 13-9 to start the game. However, a six-point run behind the serve of Dumas, which included two service aces as well as one kill apiece from Connor and junior Katie Nulty (Santa Barbara, Calif./Laguna Blanca), would give GU a 15-13 lead. Both teams would trade the lead with impressive play coming from Dumas, Buffum and Connor. Three consecutive Connor kills would tie the game at 27, but back-to-back Cardinal blocks followed by a Cardinal kill would end game three (30-27) and the match.

Connor led the team with 10 kills and two block assists and a .269 attack percentage. Buffum tallied nine kills and 14 digs while Dumas recorded an additional nine kills and one solo block. Niesen pitched in another six kills and a .235 attack percentage while Nulty had seven kills and seven digs.