Final Stats

WASHINGTON - The Georgetown volleyball team dropped its BIG EAST opener on Friday, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-20), to Villanova. The match was played at McDonough Arena.

Alyssa Sinnette (Pearland, Texas/Dawson) led GU's offense with 10 kills while Liv King (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) and Symone Speech (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) each had five. Speech also led the Hoyas with four total blocks. Paige McKnight (Atlanta, Ga./Dunwoody) had 22 assists while Kenzie Higareda (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) tied for match-high honors with 11 digs.

In the first set, after a King kill tied the score at one, Villanova (11-3, 1-0 BIG EAST) went on a 10-3 run to take an 11-4 lead. The Hoyas (6-8, 0-1 BIG EAST) could not put together back-to-back points until a kill from Ashlie Williams (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) and ace by Sinnette cut the deficit to 22-13. The Wildcats, however, scored the final three points to win the set, 25-13.

The second set was much of the same as Villanova used early runs to take control. After a combined block from Williams and Sinnette gave GU a 1-0 lead, the Wildcats answered with four-consecutive points. Another block, this time from Speech and Meghan Richard (Firestone, Colo./Niwot), tied the score back up at five but Villanova again responded, this time with seven-straight points to give the visitors a 12-5 advantage. A dual block by Speech and King cut the deficit to 19-13, but Villanova scored the final six points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Hoyas came out swinging in the third set, jumping out to a 10-6 lead. Sinnette and King led the charge with two kills apiece while Williams and Richard each added one and Speech and Sinnette combined for another block. However, out of a timeout, Villanova answered with seven-consecutive points, leading a to a 10-2 run to take control of the set, 18-12. Kills from Williams, Sinnette and McKnight, as well as a dual block by Speech and McKnight, helped the Hoyas pull to within four, 23-19, but the Wildcats closed out the frame, 25-20, to sweep the match.

Georgetown closes out the weekend on Sunday when Seton Hall visits the Hilltop. First serve at McDonough Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.