George Washington University Athletics
Volleyball Drops A-10 Opener to Temple, 3-2
9/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 20) - Temple's Alma Kovaci slammed 35 kills in leading defending A-10 champion Temple past GW, 10-15, 15-9, 14-16, 15-8, 15-3, in a two-hour, 29-minute classic battle at GW's Smith Center Wednesday night. It was the A-10 opener for both teams.
The reigning A-10 Player of the Year, Kovaci elevated her game when she needed to and hit .342 with 35 kills in 76 swings while digging 24 attacks for the match. When Kovaci wasn't doing the damage, teammate Yamit Haba was as the freshman from Israel accounted for 23 kills and 15 digs.
Four Colonials registered double-figure kills led by senior Tracee Brown's 19 while Julie Jahnke added 17 kills. Colonials senior Suzana Manole flirted with a triple-double as she put down 13 kills with 22 digs and eight blocks. Setter Jill Levey recorded a match-high 57 assists to go with 19 digs and four blocks.
The teams played evenly through the first two games which set the stage for a dramatic game three. Following the 10-minute break, GW came out strong in the third game and took a commanding 9-1 lead and seemed to be coasting to an easy victory. The Owls battled back, however, and outscored GW, 13-3, to take a 14-12 lead on a service ace by Risa Sasaki. The Colonials responded with a pair of kills by Brown and won the game on an attack error by the Owls' Sara Stone.
By comparison, games four and five were anticlimactic as Temple controlled the tempo, especially in the deciding fifth game where the Owls scored the first eight points and were never threatened. Temple hit .786 (11k-0e-14att) in game five while the Colonials were in the red at -.077 (2-3-13).
Statistically, the teams were even as Temple hit .211 with 88 kills compared to .209 (74 kills) for the Colonials. Temple had 70 assists to 69 for GW but the Colonials were more effective at the net with 17.5 blocks compared to 10.5 for the visitors. GW also managed to out-dig Temple, 87-81.
GW (8-3, 0-1 A-10) travels to Fordham Friday for a 7:00 pm match in the Bronx while Temple (4-6, 1-0) plays Duquesne Saturday in Pittsburgh.
