George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
0-1
Northwestern
1-0
GW Volleyball Falls in Season-Opening Doubleheader
8/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Northwestern 3, GW 0 | Virginia 3, GW 0
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The George Washington volleyball team opened the 2016 season with a pair of matches on Friday at the Cavalier Classic at Memorial Gymnasium, falling in straight sets to both Northwestern and Virginia.
Freshman Skylar Iott had a standout debut, posting a team-best 22 kills across the two matches (3.67/set), to lead the Colonials. Senior Emily Clemens facilitated the offense with 49 assists in the doubleheader. She added eight digs and two service aces.
GW (0-2) fell to Northwestern in the first match of the season by scores of 15-25, 18-25, 20-25.
The Colonials hit a respectable .278 (32k-10e-79a) in the match but had trouble containing a robust Northwestern attack. The Wildcats swung .494 as a team (48k-7e-83a), led by a dominant effort from Symone Abbott, who totaled 22 kills with just two attack errors (.571).
GW was led by Iott, who reached double-digit kills in her first collegiate match with a team-best 10 winners. She committed just two attack errors and added a solo block and one dig.
The Colonials used a 5-0 run in the early part of the first set to build an 8-5 lead and held a 13-11 advantage midway through the frame. Northwestern responded by closing on a 14-2 run to take the first set, 25-15.
GW committed just five attack errors across the second and third sets, but was unable to offset Northwestern's offense. The Wildcats hit .500 with just four attack errors en route to taking the final two frames by scores of 25-18 and 25-20.
In the nightcap, the Colonials fell in a narrow straight-sets decision against host Virginia that featured a total of 22 ties and nine lead changes. Set scores were 27-29, 21-25, 20-25.
Both teams were running efficient attacks in the opening frame. GW swung .323 (15k-5e-31a) compared to the Cavaliers' .357 (17k-7e-28a).
The Colonials erased an early 3-0 deficit in the opening frame by rattling off five straight points to pull ahead, 5-3. After three tie scores, GW used a four-point spurt to build an 11-8 lead and retained the cushion until 19-15. Virginia then responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points to seize a 23-21 lead.
After a timeout, GW responded with a 4-2 run to tie the score at 25-25. Virginia tallied the next point but kills by Clemens and sophomore Alexis Lete put the Colonials at set point, 27-26. The Cavaliers answered out of a timeout with three straight points to clinch the set, 29-27.
The teams traded points to open the second set until a 10-10 tie. The deadlock was broken with a 5-1 run by Virginia and they never trailed for the rest of the set en route to a 25-21 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Virginia completed the sweep with a 25-21 win in the third set. The Cavaliers led for most of the set but a late Colonial rally turned a 21-15 deficit into a two-point game at 21-19. Virginia regained its composure and finished the match on a 4-1 run for a 25-20 win.
Iott and senior Loren Williams each posted 12 kills to lead the offense against Virginia. Senior Chidima Osuchukwu added eight kills and four blocks (one solo, three assists).
GW concludes its season-opening weekend on Saturday when it faces Buffalo. First serve is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
