VILLANOVA, PA – The Villanova Wildcat women's volleyball team opened-up the BIG EAST portion of its schedule on Friday, March 5, with a 3-1 win (25-14, 13-25, 26-24, 25-21) over the visiting Connecticut Huskies. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Huskies fall to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in league action.
Three Wildcats reached double figures in kills led by Kathleen Johnson (Sophomore, Houston, Tex.) and Riley Homer (Freshman, Grand Rapids, Mich.) with 11 kills each and Clare Delaplane (Junior, Downers Grove, Ill.) who added 10 kills. Sophomore setter Belle Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied a match-high 44 assists. Delaplane led the way with 21 digs, while graduate student Averi Salvador (Aiea, Hawaii) chipped in with 18 digs.
Connecticut was paced by Caylee Parker who registered 14 kills and 16 digs.
For the match, the Wildcats hit .228 (50 kills, 17 errors, 145 attempts) and finished the match with 65 digs. The Huskies hit .133 (42 kills, 24 errors, 135 attempts) to go with 65 digs.
Villanova has now won six of the last eight against Connecticut and Wildcat head coach Josh Steinbach improves to 5-0 against the Huskies in matches played at the Jake Nevin Field House.
The two teams will meet again at Villanova on Saturday night. The match is set for 6 p.m.
SET ONE: ** Villanova scored four of the first five points and raced to a 10-3 lead.
** Clare Delaplane led the way in the opening set with four kills and six digs.
** Belle Morgan was credited with 14 first set assists.
** The Wildcats hit .500 compared to Connecticut who hit -.174.
SET TWO:
** The Huskies raced to a 10-3 lead and cruised to the second set win.
** Caylee Parker recorded five of UConn's 11 kills.
** Connecticut setter Courtney Morris had an assist on nine of the 11 kills.
** Villanova hit just -.028.
SET THREE: ** After Villanova led 5-1, the Huskies scored nine of the next 14 points to tie the set at 10-10.
** The Cats led 20-16, before Connecticut tied it at 22-22.
** With the score even at 24-24, Villanova earned the 26-24 win on a UConn service error and an ace by Emily Curtis.
** Sophia Howling and Kathleen Johnson led the Wildcats with four kills.
** Allie Garland had four kills in the fourth set to pace the Huskies
SET FOUR:
** Following a Caylee Parker kill that pulled the Huskies within 9-8, Villanova tallied eight of the next 10 points to open-up a 17-10 advantage.
** Connecticut ran off three straight points to make it a 21-17 score, before Villanova scored on a UConn attack error to lead 22-17.
** Villanova earned its match point off a Connecticut service error.
** Clare Delaplane had five kills and four digs, while Averi Salvador tallied six digs.
** Caylee Parker was credited with five kills in the fourth set
