Oct. 12, 2008

Box Score

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Villanova volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (20-25, 15-25, 17-25), contest at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats are now 11-9 overall and drop to a 2-3 mark in the BIG EAST.

Freshmen Morgan Petkovich and Maggie Mergen led the Wildcats' offense with eight and six kills respectively.

Junior Chelsea Graman dished out 23 assists and had six digs, while junior Amy Gulyas and freshman Kim Maroon each collected eight digs in the match.

A kill from Petkovich put Villanova within one point, 8-7, in the first frame, but following consecutive miscues from the `Cats, Villanova used a timeout. After the break, Mergen launched back-to-back aces and VU used a 5-2 run to force the Bearcats into a timeout with the score at 18-17. Cincinnati's offense regrouped and the Wildcats used their final timeout trailing 23-20, but errors from VU gave Cincinnati a 25-20 victory in the first.

The Bearcats jumped to a quick 7-2 lead in the second set, but a kill from Mergen pulled Villanova to within two points, 12-10. Four consecutive points from Cincinnati sent `Nova into a timeout trailing, 16-10, but the Wildcats' offense could not find a groove as they fell, 25-15 in the second stanza.

Junior Elysse Studzinski connected on a kill in the third frame as the Wildcats trailed 8-6, but the Bearcats scored two unanswered points and Villanova called its first timeout, trailing 10-6. A 5-3 run from the Bearcats sent Villanova back to the bench in its final timeout as UC led 15-9. The score was 18-12 after Petkovich connected on a kill, but Villanova would not threaten the Bearcats and dropped the final set.

The Wildcats will return to the court on Wednesday, Oct. 15 as they travel to Delaware in non-conference action. The match will begin at 7:00 p.m.