Oct. 14, 2005

Box Score

Lewisburg, Pa. - The Wildcats of Villanova University (16-4, 5-1 BIG EAST) used an 11-1 run at the start of the last frame to seal the win over the Bison of Bucknell University (12-9) this evening in Davis Gym.

The game scores were 24-30, 30-28, 30-23, and 30-13.

`Nova took command of the fourth set, running out to 11-1 on the strength of solid play by senior outside hitter Dana Kabashima (Santa Monica, Calif.) and sophomore middle blocker Kacy Sellers (Battle Creek, Mich.). Bucknell earned its only point on a service ace to begin the game. Villanova kept a healthy advantage and staked itself to a 20-6 lead after a setter dump by junior Jenna Link (Wheaton, Ill.). The `Cats moved out to a 25-8 advantage on a kill by Sellers when she stuffed a Bison attack. And a Kelly Ludwig (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) spike in the center of the court punctuated the win for `Nova.

The Bison took the first point of the first game with a kill by Becky Fisher. Although Villanova tied the set two times, at three and eight, Bucknell was able to stay ahead by at least two until BU extended its lead to four, 16-12, on a service ace by Shannon Pitsch.

`Nova called a time out and fought back, capitalizing on two Bison errors and a block by Sellers and Kabashima, but the Wildcats couldn't tie at 17 because a kill by Jennie Smith ended the rally. Villanova knotted the score again, 22-22, on a kill by freshman outside hitter Alona Cherkez (Crimea, Ukraine), but service and attack errors by the Wildcats again gave Bucknell the advantage, 24-22. The Bison played excellent defense the rest of the game and ended it on a kill by Amanda Grossman, 30-25.

The beginning of the second set was closer, with six ties before either team reached ten points. Villanova took its first lead of the match at 7-6 on an attack error by the Bison. The `Cats briefly took several one-point leads but couldn't get much started offensively. A Sellers kill gave Villanova a 10-8 edge and forced a Bucknell time out.

Bucknell scored five straight points to take a 13-10 lead out of the break. The Bison used another five-point rally to take a 19-15 advantage after a spate of Wildcat errors. Villanova climbed back in and stayed with the Bison and tied the game at 26 and 27 before taking the lead, 28-27, on a kill by junior middle blocker Adrian Semrau (Grafton, Ohio). A serving error by the Wildcats again evened the score, 28-28, but Cherkez knocked down a sideline kill and gave Villanova a 29-28 edge and miscommunication by the Bison handed `Nova the game.

The Wildcats ran out to a quick 5-1 lead after the intermission, capped by a service ace by Cherkez. The Bison erased that advantage and got within one, 5-4, on a kill by Jenna Henderson. `Nova stretched its lead back to 9-4 when freshman outside hitter Dana Tartazky (Haifa, Israel) nailed down an overpass and induced a Bucknell time out.

Villanova took a 19-12 lead on a Sellers ace. Three straight Smith kills, the last a spike on an overpass, ignited a five-point rally for Bucknell and got the Bison closer, 19-17. A kill by Ludwig ended the run, 20-17. The `Cats strung together five points late to hold a 29-22 advantage. Bucknell saved one game point with a kill from Henderson, but Sellers again came through for Villanova, and the Wildcats took the game.

Sellers was the star of the match for Villanova. The sophomore had a match-best 19 kills without an error while hitting .594 (19-0-32). She also had seven blocks, one short of her career high and two aces. Cherkez and Semrau each added nine kills, and Semrau had four blocks.

The Wildcats out-blocked Bucknell 11.0 to 3.0 and out-hit the Bison .360 to .201, limiting Bucknell to a hitting percentage