Volleyball Captures 10th-Straight With 3-1 Win Against Villanova

Sunday, October 30

Women's Building

2:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Villanova

Volleyball Captures 10th-Straight With 3-1 Win Against Villanova

11/1/2005 10:21:46 PM | Volleyball

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Oct. 30, 2005 – Seniors Kelly Duan and Kristen Conway both recorded double-doubles to lead the Orange to a 3-1 (26-30, 30-23, 30-13, 30-27) triumph against visiting Villanova this afternoon at the Women’s Building. Duan had a match-best 18 kills, while Conway had 14, and both registered 11 digs in the win.

Sophomore Cheryl Cobbina contributed with 14 kills. Senior Katie Allen was big at the net, adding seven kills and nine total blocks. Senior Aila Dommestrup distributed 51 assists and also had five block assists. Duan also added seven total blocks. Senior Kathryn Dercher dug a match-best 13 attacks, stepping in as libero for the injured Joscie Kaup.

Midway through the first game, the Orange found itself up 14-9. A couple of ball handling errors, a block by Adrian Semrau and Dana Kabashima, and an attack error brought Villanova back into the game, 14-13. The Wildcats tied the game 15-15 when Jenna Link and Semrau combined for another block. SU regained the lead at 18-16 when Dommestrup notched a kill, and Cobbina delivered a service ace. A service error and an Alona Cherkez kill deadlocked the game again, this time at 18-18. The two teams traded points, but Kacy Sellers put down a kill to give Villanova a 20-19 lead, its first since 1-0. The Wildcats kept a steady lead, and SU tied the match 25-25 when Duan tallied one of her kills. Semrau responded with one of her own, and then Cherkez put down two more to give Villanova a decisive three-point run, and it went on to win 30-26.

SU took control of the second game early, scoring the first five points of the game. Duan and Cobbina both had kills in the run. SU’s largest lead would come at 17-7, when Allen delivered one of her seven kills. The Orange would not allow Villanova to mount a comeback, and SU took game two, 30-23.

SU came out and took an early 6-1 lead in game three. Conway, Allen, and Cobbina each tallied a kill in that stretch. Leading 11-5, SU would score the next 12 points behind the serve of Conway. Sophomore Jen Malcom aided the cause with three kills, as did Cobbina. Conway also had two service aces in that run. The Orange did not let the Wildcats back in, taking a 30-13 decision in game three.

SU recorded 19 kills in the third game. Cobbina led the way with five, while Duan, Conway, and Malcom all had four a piece. The Orange dominated at the net, hitting .552 in the game while holding Villanova to a mere .091. SU also stuffed four Wildcat attacks in the game.

Villanova responded quickly in game four, taking a commanding 10-2 advantage early. Link had two service aces in the run. SU responded by scoring 12 of the next 14 points to tie the game 12-12. Conway had three more kills in that stretch. The two teams traded points again until 17-17. The Orange scored four-consecutive points to take a 21-17 lead. Duan had a kill and two block assists in the run. That lead would prove to be enough, as Villanova would get as close as two, but that is it. SU took game four, 30-27.

Cherkez led the attack for Villanova (19-7, 6-4 BIG EAST) with 17 kills and 13 digs. Dana Tartasky chipped in with 12 kills of her own. Link dished out 41 assists in the loss.

SU (22-7, 9-2 BIG EAST) dominated at the net, outblocking the Wildcats 17-6, while hitting .345 as a team. Villanova hit .191 in the match. The Orange went 12-1 in the month of October, and is 21-2 in the last two seasons during the month.

The Orange’s 9-2 BIG EAST mark is the best since it did the same back in 1990.

The Orange is back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 1, when it travels to Albany to take on the Great Danes, which currently sit atop the America East Conference at 22-3, 8-1.