George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
Duquesne
Volleyball's Slide Continues with 3-1 Loss to Duquesne
11/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 7, 2010
PITTSBURGH, PA -- Despite a stellar effort from GW senior co-captain Katie Zulandt, the GW Volleyball team lost its sixth straight match, 3-1, to Duquesne Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh. Zulandt played one of the best matches of her career hitting .607 on a match-high 18 kills in 28 swings with just one attack error. She also assisted on four blocks for a total of 20 points. The match featured seven lead changes and 23 ties before the Dukes prevailed by the scores, 25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, at the Palumbo Center.
The loss was costly in terms of the Colonials' postseason aspirations. GW needs to win at least one of its remaining two matches in order to secure a berth in the Conference tournament. Sunday's setback dropped the Colonials to 6-7 in the A-10 and into a fifth-place with Fordham in the league standings with two matches left to play. The top six teams qualify for the conference championship tournament, Nov. 19-21, at Xavier's Cintas Center. GW sits a game ahead of seventh-place Charlotte (5-8).
Neither team was especially efficient on offense as Duquesne had a team attack percentage of .176 (55k-24e-176att) while GW combined to hit .167 (54-26-168) for the match. GW sophomore Lauren Whyte added 11 kills and 13 digs for 12 points. Sophomore Candace Silva-Martin led all players with 29 digs. Setter Katie Crosby assisted on 44 of GW's 54 kills (81%) and added eight digs and a block.
Duquesne (21-8, 9-4 A-10) was led by Sara Scheirman's 16 kills and 15 digs for 17 points while Liz Homan added 15 kills and three blocks while hitting .371. Sarah Svorinic's 20 digs paced five Dukes with double-figure digs.
Set one was knotted at 23-23 before a kill by Duquesne's Ashley Buse, followed by a GW attack error, gave the set to the Dukes, 25-23. Duquesne took a 4-0 lead to open the second set before the Colonials rallied to tie the score at 8-8. The set was even again at 12-12 before the Dukes went on a 6-0 run, helped by four Colonials miscues, to take an 18-12 lead and coast to the 25-21 victory.
GW never trailed in the third set although the Dukes managed to forge a 24-24 tie after a GW attack error. Duquesne then committed an attack error and MacKenzie Knox pounded a kill to capture GW lone victory of the afternoon, 26-24. The fourth set was the closest of the match with four lead changes and 11 ties, the last coming at 17-17. Duquesne scored the next four points for a 21-17 margin on two kills each from Homan and Allison Foschia. GW got to within 23-20 on a kill by Crosby before Duquesne put the match on ice with a kill by Scheirman and a GW attack error.
GW (17-13, 6-7 A-10) next plays Friday at Saint Louis (16-10, 9-3 A-10) in a 6:30 p.m. (EST) match at Chaifetz Pavilion. The Colonials defeated the Billikens, 3-1, on Oct. 3 at Smith Center but Saint Louis has won 10 of its last 11 matches since the loss at GW.
Free live statistical updates of Friday's GW-Saint Louis match are available by going to www.GWsports.com and clicking on the Gametracker link on the volleyball schedule.
