Nov. 16, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The ending could not have been more fitting, as senior Kit Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside) spiked a set from senior Caitlin Boland (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) into the floor to clinch the fifth set 15-11, as the Georgetown volleyball team (14-13, 7-7 BIG EAST) defeated Seton Hall (14-15, 6-8 BIG EAST) 29-27, 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11 on Senior Day at McDonough Arena. The two seniors made their final game at McDonough Arena a memorable one, as Niesen had 15 kills and led the Hoyas with a .400 hitting percentage, while Boland had 56 assists to spark the GU offense. Junior Jessica Hardy (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) recorded her second double-double of the weekend with 16 kills and 21 digs. Freshman Tory Rezin (Morris, Ill./Morris) led the squad with 27 digs and sophomore Vanessa Dorismond led the team with 17 kills and 41 attempts to help the Hoyas clinch their first winning record since 2004. GU trailed for much of the first set before rallying late to tie the score at 20. From there the Hoyas and Pirates traded points, as Niesen and Hardy each had kills down the stretch to keep Georgetown in front. After Hardy's kill that gave Georgetown a 28-27 lead, the Hoyas got a break, as a Seton Hall attack error gave them a 29-27 first set victory. Niesen, Hardy and Dorismond each had five kills on 17 assists from Boland. The Pirates took control early in the second set, with Tricia Meyers leading the offense with four kills on seven attempts. SHU would lead by as many as six on their way to a 25-20 second set victory. Seton Hall also rallied back from three points behind midway through the third set before ending the set on a 7-3 run to win the third set 25-21.
The Hoyas fell behind 4-1 at the beginning of the fourth set, but stormed back behind offense from Dorismond and Hardy. Boland served Georgetown to their first lead of the set at 16-15, as part of a 6-0 run that saw GU take a 19-15 lead. They would never trail again in the fourth set, surviving a late Pirates rally to win 25-23. In the decisive fifth set Seton Hall rushed out a quick 5-2 lead before an Arlisa Williams timeout. The Hoyas scored the next seven with kills from junior Kiersten McKoy (Oakland, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd), Dorismond and Boland. Seton Hall would close the gap to one, but with the score at 12-11 the Hoyas scored the last three with Niesen's kill from Boland clinching the victory. The victory concludes the season for the Hoyas, who finished in ninth place in the BIG EAST, just outside of the post-season with South Florida, Pittsburgh and Syracuse also winning on Sunday. |
 
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