Sept. 12, 2009
Box Score
VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Villanova volleyball team escaped in a 3-2 (12-25, 25-23, 25-19, 19-25, 15-12) victory over Princeton in the Villanova Classic Saturday morning at Jake Nevin Fieldhouse.
The Wildcats were led by sophomore Maggie Mergen who posted 18 kills and a .350 hitting percentage. Senior Elysse Studzinski notched 14 kills with just two errors and hit .414, while freshman Krista Andersen recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs.
Sophomore Kim Maroon collected a career-high 38 digs, while freshman Kristina Bither added 18. Sophomore Courtney Oertli dished out 47 assists.
After dropping set one, 25-12, Villanova rebounded in the second frame with a 25-23 victory. The Wildcats were down 21-15 and called timeout, but came out of the break with kills from Studzinski, Mergen and sophomore Maria Nolan to pull within two points, 22-20. Bither served four of Villanova's last five points including one ace.
The Wildcats got on the board first in the third set and never trailed. Princeton used its first timeout falling behind 16-13 as kills from Mergen, Oertli and Nolan extended `Nova's lead to 20-17. Studzinski found the floor for the final point and a 25-19 victory.
Villanova fell behind quickly in the fourth stanza and called a timeout trailing 4-0. The `Cats used their last timeout as the Tigers held on to an 18-12 lead, but senior Amy Gulyas served for three points after the break to close within three points. Villanova could not threaten further as Princeton forced a fifth set with a 25-19 win.
In the fifth and final set the Tigers jumped to a 7-2 advantage as `Nova called timeout. Trailing 9-6, Oertli served an ace with Princeton hitting two errors to put VU to within one point, 9-8. Studzinski found the floor after the break and connected for another kill to tie the set at 11 apiece. Back-to-back kills from Nolan and Studzinski forced the Tigers into a timeout trailing 13-12, and Studzinki slammed a final kill to give Villanova the victory.
