WASHINGTON – Georgetown University's volleyball team looks to return to its winning ways as it hosts DePaul and No. 19 Marquette on the Hilltop this weekend in BIG EAST action. The Hoyas will attempt to avenge a pair of earlier season losses to their guests, taking on the Blue Demons on Friday at 5 p.m. and the Golden Eagles on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Friday's match will be broadcast live on the BIG EAST Digital Network with John Fanta providing play-by-play while Saturday's match will be streamed live on www.GUHoyas.com with Monika Moore calling the action. Live stats for both matches will also be available at www.GUHoyas.com.
Georgetown (13-11, 6-6 BIG EAST) is coming off a 3-0 loss to Villanova in its lone match last weekend.
Alyssa Sinnette (Pearland, Texas / Dawson) led the Hoyas with eight kills while
Kenzie Higareda (Woodbridge, Va. / Forest Park) and
Jessica Cusi (Pacifica, Calif. / Lick-Wilmerding) both collected 11 digs.
On the season,
Iva Vujosevic (Bar, Montenegro / Niko Rolovic / UMES) and Sinnette both average at least three kills a set, posting 3.28, 3.09 kps, respectively, while
Symone Speech (Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park-River Forest) is right behind them with 2.96 kps.
Margo Pivonka (Broadview Heights, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) paces the offense with 8.93 assists per set.
Defensively, Higareda anchors the back row with 4.60 digs per set. Cusi adds 2.55 a frame while Vujosevic chips in 2.47 dps. At the net, Speech has been credited with 92 blocks on the season for a 1.12 average and
Brennan Wilhite (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic) adds 0.49 bps.
Emma Price leads DePaul (5-18, 3-9 BIG EAST) with 2.54 kills per set while Avarie Evans-Allen adds an even 2.00 kps. Natalie Hayward and Katie Dolan run the offense, averaging 5.03 and 4.32 assists per set, respectively. On the defensive end, Isabelle Banez tallies 4.74 digs per set while Evans-Allen is the top threat at the net with 0.47 blocks per set.
The Blue Demons won the first match this season, a 3-1 victory in Chicago. Speech led all players with 15 kills in front of her hometown crowd while Vujosevic posted her eighth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 13 digs. Higareda led all players with 28 digs while Cusi added 13. Claire Anderson led DePaul with 12 kills and 16 digs while Evans-Allen added 10 kills.
Marquette (20-5, 10-2 BIG EAST) has won 10 of its last 11 matches and has a firm hold on second place in the league standings. Allie Barber leads the Golden Eagles with 4.61 kills per set while Anna Haak, Jenna Rosenthal, and Hope Werch all add at least two kills a frame. Lauren Speckman and Sarah Rose combine for 12.05 assists per frame, averaging 7.25 and 4.88 assists per set, respectively. Defensively, Martha Konovodoff averages 4.94 digs per set while Haak adds 3.09 dps. At the net, Rosenthal has been credited with 85 blocks on the season for a 1.04 average.
The Golden Eagles claimed a 3-0 victory against the Hoyas in Milwaukee earlier this season. Vujosevic led the Hoyas with eight kills and Higareda led all players with 18 digs. Allie Barber paced Marquette with 13 kills.
Following the weekend, Georgetown heads out for its final road trip of the regular season, taking on No. 9 Creighton on Friday, Nov. 9 and Providence on Sunday, Nov. 11.
