Villanova (4-5 overall, 3-4 BIG EAST) dropped a 3-2 decision to conference rival Providence in a tight battle Friday night in Rhode Island. The Wildcats earned wins in the first two sets before the Friars (6-3 overall, 4-3 BIG EAST) rallied for wins in the final three to claim the match.
 
            The close nature of this one was reflected in the final points total: Providence held a 78-76 edge in that category. There were 27 tie scores over the course of the night at Alumni Hall.  
 
            Riley Homer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) led the Wildcats with 21 kills on the night while Sophia Howling (Los Angeles, Cal.) added 12. Belle Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 47 assists for Nova while Averi Salvador (Aiea, Hawaii) led the way with 17 digs.
 
            After a Howling kill in the first set, the Wildcats held an early 9-5 advantage over the Friars. Providence later rallied to tie the first set at 15. However, the Wildcats scored five of the next six points, creating a lead that would ultimately allow them to take Set No. 1, 25-23. The decisive point came on a kill by Kiera Booth (Berlin, Pa.).
 
            Although Providence won the first three points of the second set, Villanova came right back, taking 10 of the next 13 points to craft a 10-6 advantage. After the Friars tied it at 10 with four straight points, Nova regained the lead on a Riley Homer kill and held it the rest of the way, posting their second straight 25-23 victory to claim Set No. 2.
 
            Providence, however, turned the tables in the third set. The Friars grabbed a 6-3 lead in the early stages of the set and later stretched it to a 21-14 advantage. They ultimately recorded the triumph in the third set, 25-16.
 
            The fourth set was another hotly contested battle. It was deadlocked at 10 before the Friars were able to score four consecutive points to create a bit of a gap. The Wildcats closed to within 21-20 on a Maddie Barber (Cedarsburg, Wisc.) kill but the Friars were able to hang on for 25-23 victory in the Set No. 4.
 
            That set up the decisive fifth set and it was another close one. Another Barber kill pushed helped Villanova grab an 11-8 lead. But the Friars scored eight of the final nine points to claim the fifth set and the match victory. 
 
            These two teams, who entered the night tied for second in the East Division of the BIG EAST Conference, will meet again Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.