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WASHINGTON - Despite 19 kills from Liv King (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) and double-double efforts from two other players, the Georgetown University volleyball team fell to American University, 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-13) on Friday evening. The match was the season opener for both teams and was played at Bender Arena as part of the D.C. Challenge.

Alyssa Sinnette (Pearland, Texas/Dawson) was right behind King with 18 kills and completed the double-double with 11 digs. Ashlie Williams (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) and Symone Speech (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) were both in double figures with 12 and 11 kills, respectively, while Speech also added six total blocks. Paige McKnight (Atlanta, Ga./Dunwoody) registered 55 assists and 15 digs for the double-double performance and Kenzie Higareda (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) had a team-high 22 digs.

The Hoyas had a .205 hitting percentage for the match and led the Eagles in nearly all statistical category including kills (66-57), assists (65-52), aces (5-4), digs (66-57) and blocks (8.5-7).

Set 1
After American closed to within one, 14-13, the Hoyas answered with a 6-1 run to open up a 20-14 advantage. Two kills from King and one from Sinnette, as well as a service ace from Caitlin Brauneis (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) contributed to the stretch. The two sides traded points before a kill from Williams and American attacking error gave GU the 25-19 set victory. King led the Georgetown offense with six kills in the opening set while Sinnette added five kills and McKnight had 12 assists. Higareda topped the defense with five digs and Speech totaled three blocks.

Set 2
Trailing 4-2, the Hoyas used a 6-1 run to take an 8-5 lead. Kills from King both started and finished the run while it also featured a kill from Sinnette and a dual block from Speech and McKnight. American fought back to tie the score at 13 and it stayed that way until Georgetown scored four-straight points to snap a 21-21 tie and win the set, 25-21. King again started the run with a kill before Higareda knocked in a service ace. Speech finished the set with a kill. Sinnette and King tied for the team lead with four kills each in the second set while Higareda and McKnight shared team-high honors with four digs apiece.

Set 3
Two kills from King and one from Williams jumpstarted the Hoyas to a quick 4-1 lead before the Eagles answered with a 4-1 run of their own to knot the score, 5-5. Trailing 10-9, kills from King and Speech bookended a quick 3-0 run that gave GU a 12-10 lead, but American took control of the set with 10-2 run to open up a 20-14 advantage. GU closed in late with a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to three, 23-20, but an American kill and ace gave the set to the Eagles, 25-20. King and Sinnette again led the offense with four kills each in the set, while McKnight contributed 12 assists and four digs.

Set 4
American opened up early leads of 6-1 and 10-4, despite two kills from Sinnette and the first career kill by Madison Smith (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove). Out of a timeout, the Hoyas cut the score to 10-8, on kills from both King and Sinnette, but the Eagles used another big run, this time scoring 10 of 15 points to take a 20-13 lead. Georgetown could not mount a comeback, dropping the set, 25-20, to force a deciding fifth set. Speech and Williams each contributed a solo block in the set while Higareda had seven digs to lead the defense.

Set 5
Both sides went back-and-forth until the Hoyas used a 7-2 run to overcome a 6-4 deficit and take an 11-8 lead. American committed three errors in the run while King and Williams teamed up for a block, Speech slammed down two kills and King added another kill. After another Speech kill gave the Blue & Gray a 12-9 advantage, American closed the match with a 6-1 run to stun GU in the fifth set, 15-13, and win the match, 3-2. Speech led the way in the final set with four kills.

Georgetown will wrap up the D.C. Challenge on Saturday, playing Howard University and George Mason University at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on George Mason's campus.

Notes ...
Friday's match was the first for Brauneis, a senior, in nearly two years due to injury ... The last time she saw action in a match was Oct. 4, 2014 at Butler.