Sept. 4, 2010

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - In a total team effort, the Villanova volleyball team concluded the Big 5 Tournament with its third consecutive victory after earning a hard fought 3-2 (25-22, 15-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12) victory over host school Penn on Saturday evening at The Palestra.

The Wildcats (4-3) won the Big 5 Tournament as junior Kim Maroon was named tournament MVP for her performance over the weekend and classmate Maggie Mergen earned all-tournament honors.

Redshirt sophomore Morgan Petkovich and freshman Alyssa Anderson recorded double-doubles as Petkovich tallied a match-high 20 kills and 14 digs, while Anderson dished out a career-best 55 assists and posted 17 digs.

Mergen connected on 16 kills, while sophomore Krista Andersen and freshman Allison Williams notched 13 and 10, respectively.

Maroon collected 24 digs as junior Kara Chatham tallied 14 and freshman Mariah Henley notched 11. Villanova was strong defensively with a combined 91 total digs in the match.

The first set was even early on with neither team gaining more than a two point lead. After a 13-13 tie, Petkovich hit back-to-back kills to give Villanova a 15-13 lead as Penn called a timeout. After the break, the Wildcats continued to roll with four unanswered points and went up 19-13 after a kill from Williams forced the Quakers to use their final timeout. Penn used the break well with a 5-1 run to close within two points, 20-18, as Villanova called its first timeout. The Quakers hang on following the break, but a kill from freshman Carly Edwards kept `Nova ahead, 23-21 and Mergen hit consecutive kills to give Villanova a 25-22 victory. Petkovich connected on six kills.

It was Penn who got off to an early lead in the second frame using a 7-2 opening and not giving up a lead as the Wildcats called a timeout trailing, 16-11. Villanova stayed in the game following the break, but could not connect on kills before heading into its final timeout trailing, 22-15. The Quakers won the second set, 25-15 combining to hit .391 as a team. Mergen and K. Andersen notched four kills in the frame.

A long volley in the third set ended as Petkovich found the floor for a kill to give Villanova a 4-1 lead. Another kill from Petkovich kept the `Cats in front, 7-4 and with an 11-8 lead `Nova sent Penn into a timeout. Following the break, Mergen connected on a kill and earned a solo block to extend the lead to 13-8. The Quakers called their final timeout after Petkovich found the floor for a kill. K. Andersen and Edwards combined for a block and Mergen connected on a kill to extend Villanova's lead to 21-15. A Penn error gave the Wildcats set point at 24-19 and Mergen posted the final kill for a 25-20 victory in the third frame. Mergen connected on six kills and Petkovich for five as `Nova hit a combined .340 while holding the Quakers to .174.

The Wildcats used a quick timeout in the third set after falling behind 8-4, but Penn remained in front as `Nova called its final timeout trailing 16-9. The `Cats remained in the game following the break with four unanswered points, including a kill from Williams and an ace from A. Anderson, but still trailed 21-16 as the Quakers called a timeout. K. Andersen connected on a kill and Maroon launched an ace to keep `Nova alive, 23-20, but Penn earned the victory with a 25-21 mark.

In the fifth and final set, a combined block from Williams and Edwards put Villanova in front, 3-1 and an unassisted kill from Mergen kept them in front 6-3 as the Quakers called a timeout. After the break, Edwards connected on a kill for an 8-3 lead as the teams switched benches. Mergen and Petkovich combined for a block to extend the lead to 12-6, but Penn scored three unanswered points to come within three points forcing Villanova to call a timeout. The Wildcats offense could not connect as three more points from Penn tied the game at 12 apiece as `Nova used its final timeout. A kill from Petkovich broke a 6-0 run from the Quakers and A. Anderson served an ace to give Villanova set point at 14-12. Petkovich connected on a final kill for the hard fought 15-12 victory to win the match.

The Wildcats return to the court on Tuesday, Sept. 7 as they travel to Lehigh. The match is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.