Nov. 10, 2006
Box Score
Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown volleyball team lost a 3-0 decision to BIG EAST Conference foe Cincinnati today at Fifth Third Arena. The Hoyas drop to 8-19 overall and a 2-11 mark in league action. The Bearcats improve to 20-6, 9-4 BE. Game scores were 21-30, 29-31, 24-30.
Cincinnati took a quick 6-2 lead to start game one. GU took advantage of a kill from sophomore Katherine Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside) and a few Bearcat errors to pull within one (7-6). Cincinnati would extend the gap off two kills and a service ace to lead the game, 15-10. Back-to-back kills from senior Annie Connor (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis) and sophomore Jessica Buffum (San Jose, Calif./Lynbrook) would bring the Hoyas back to 15-12. Cincinnati led 20-15 when they had a six-point run, giving the Bearcats an outstanding 26-15 lead. The Hoyas would hold off two game points but lost game one, 30-21.
With the score in a deadlock at 12 in game two, the Blue and Gray took the next eight of 11 points off kills from Buffum, Niesen, Connor, sophomore Caitlin Boland (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) and junior Katie Nulty (Santa Barbara, Calif./Laguna Blanca) as well as a Buffum service ace for the 20-15 lead. However, the Bearcats would battle back and take advantage of four consecutive Hoya errors to tie the game at 25. The two teams would trade points until the game was tied at 29, then Cincinnati's Myanna Hellsten recorded back-to-back kills for the 31-29 victory.
Game three saw the Bearcats continue with the momentum and take a 19-16 lead. The Hoyas would take the next three points off the serve of freshman Dana Dumas (Nokomis, Fla./Pine View) to tie the game. However, the Bearcats would pull away again to take a 24-21 lead, one they would not relinquish as they went on to win game three and the match, 30-24.
Buffum led the team with a double-double recording 13 kills and 11 digs. She also tallied four block assists and maintained a .189 attack percentage. Connor had an impressive nine kills and five block assists while also recording four digs. Niesen hit .286 with seven kills and five blocks (two solo, three assists) while freshman Jessica Hardy (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) led the team with 13 digs.
"The Hoyas played very well against a good team," Georgetown University Head Coach Arlisa Hagan said. "They competed well from the first point until the very end. Kit Niesen and Dana Dumas should be extremely proud as they turned in excellent performances. We made a huge run in game three when we were down 18-13 and came back to tie the game at 19, which is something we haven't done all season."
The Hoyas end the regular season on Sunday, November 12 when BIG EAST Conference opponent Louisville hosts the Hoyas at Cardinal Arena. The match is slated for 2 p.m.
