Oct. 9, 2010
Box Score
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - The Villanova volleyball team (15-4, 4-1 BIG EAST) earned a 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-15, 25-21) victory over Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at the College Ave. Gym.
Junior Maggie Mergen led the squad with 12 kills and hit a .346 clip. Redshirt sophomore Morgan Petkovich posted 10 kills, while sophomore Krista Andersen tallied nine kills with just one error to hit .400.
Freshman Alyssa Anderson dished out 34 assists in the match, while junior Kim Maroon collected a match-high 27 digs.
"Rutgers played really hard today and it was good to match that and come out with a win on the road," said head coach Josh Steinbach. "BIG EAST wins can be hard to come by and we are happy to leave here with another win."
In the first set the score was tied 6-6 before Anderson took to serve with six points to out the Wildcats in front, 12-6 as Rutgers called its first timeout. Following the break, the Scarlet Knights came back to pull within one point, 13-12, but Maroon served an ace to hold on to a lead. After Petkovich connected on a kill Villanova had extended its lead to 21-15 as the Scarlet Knights used their final timeout. Freshman Allison Williams found the floor for a kill to give the `Cats set point at 24-18 and they won the first 25-18 on a miscue from Rutgers.
In the second frame, Rutgers led 7-5, but Villanova tied the score at seven apiece after a kill from Petkovich and a combined block from Petkovich and Williams. After the score tied at 9-9, the Scarlet Knights scored three unanswered points as `Nova used its first timeout trailing 12-9. After a timeout from Rutgers, the Wildcats tied the score at 17 apiece, but Rutgers scored five unanswered points out of the break forcing Villanova to use its final timeout trailing 22-17. The Scarlet Knights won the second set, 25-22.
The teams traded points back and forth to open the third set before Villanova took a 12-9 lead with a kill from Williams and had pushed its lead to 14-10 as the Scarlet Knights called a timeout. Out of the break Maroon served an ace and K. Andersen found the floor for a kill to extend the lead to 17-10. Another ace from Maroon had pushed the Wildcats' lead to 20-10 forcing Rutgers to use its last timeout. Mergen connected on a kill and followed by a combined block with Anderson to pull ahead 23-12 before Petkovich connected on a kill for set point at 24-13. Rutgers held on for two additional points, but the `Cats won the set, 25-15. Villanova combined to hit .379 in the frame, while holding the Scarlet Knights t0 just .091 hitting. Mergen tallied five kills and Maroon collected 10 digs in the third set.
After Petkovich connected on a kill in the fourth set for a 7-4 lead, Rutgers scored four points and tied the set at eight apiece following back-to-back blocks. Petkovich found the floor for a kill to tie the score at 17 apiece and junior Kara Chatham served an ace to put `Nova in front, 19-17 as the Scarlet Knights called timeout. After the break Rutgers had pulled to within one point, 22-21, but after a miscue Villanova earned set point with a 24-21 advantage. Mergen connected on the final kill to win the set, 25-21 and earn the match victory.
The Wildcats combined to hit .219 as a squad, holding Rutgers to a .154 clip.
Villanova is back in action on Sunday at Seton Hall. The match is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.
