Sept. 22, 2008
Box Score | Quotes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Freshman Sara Manley (Dove Canyon, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) led the Georgetown University volleyball team (7-6) with 14 kills, including nine in the second set to help the Hoyas snap a three game slide, defeating Howard University in straight sets, 25-23, 27-25, 25-20 on Monday evening at McDonough Arena.
Senior Caitlin Boland (Naperville, Ill./Benet Catholic) had 47 assists, while the Hoyas had four players hit over .300, including Manley junior Courtney Cohen (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep), (.304, nine kills) senior Kit Niesen (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside) (.500 with 11 kills) and junior Kiersten McKoy (Oakland, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd) (.389, nine kills).
In the first set the Hoyas opened a 7-4 lead behind two kills from McKoy and one from Niesen forcing a Howard timeout. After the timeout Howard battled back, taking advantage of two Hoya attack errors to close the gap to one. Several times Georgetown would take a three point edge, but were never able to extend it beyond that point. Howard tied the score at 19, but McKoy kept GU in front, as the teams traded points. Kit Niesen was able to ice the game with a kill to give the Hoyas a 25-23 first set victory. McKoy and senior Jessica Hardy (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) each had five kills for GU.
Again, the Blue and Gray led early in the second set, but was unable to put away the Bison. Georgetown's 9-5 lead quickly eroded, as Howard dug their way back into the match, tying the score at 11. Howard took its first lead of the match at 14-13 and threatened to run away by extending the lead to 18-15. Two kills from Manley and an attack error tied the score at 18. Trailing 21-20, Manley tied the score again followed by an attack error and a Cohen kill to put the Hoyas in front by two. Howard would not relent tying the score at 23. Hardy put the Hoyas in front 26-25 and a Bison attack error helped the Hoyas squeak out the second set, 27-25. Manley paced the Hoyas offense with nine kills in the second set, as Boland set the tables with 17 more assists.
Manley opened the third set with a kill followed by McKoy's solo block to take a 3-0 lead, but Howard's defense kept them in the match and helped take a 7-5 edge. The teams traded points until a McKoy kill spurred a 6-0 Hoya run. Overall, sophomore Paola Annoni (Palm Harbor, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic) served the Hoyas to five straight points to taking a decisive 19-13 lead, their largest of the match. Nicole Brown answered, serving Howard to four straight points, closing the gap to two, but Cohen would not let the Bison run continue, extending the lead to three, to help put away the set. Georgetown ran off five consecutive points, four on Howard attack errors, to open a seven point lead. Niesen preserved the set and match.
The win over Howard was the Hoyas first of three home matches in seven days, as they host BIG EAST foes DePaul on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. and Notre Dame on Sunday Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
