STORRS, Conn. – Villanova volleyball opened its weekend road trip in New England on Friday night, dropping a four-set decision to UConn (27-29, 25-14, 23-25, 19-25) inside the UConn Volleyball Center. With the loss, Villanova falls to 12-10 overall (5-6 BIG EAST).
Taylor Lewis delivered a career-best 21-kill, 23.0-point performance to lead the Wildcat attack while chipping in four blocks.
Campbell McKinnon added 15 kills and seven digs, while
Chloe Kelly hit double figures with 12 kills of her own.
Alyssa Nelson nearly tied a career high, finishing with 47 assists and tying her season high with 16 digs to record her 11th double-double of the season.
Mina Diggs notched a career-high 22 digs, while
Reagan McGivern recorded a team-high five blocks to lead the way defensively for the 'Cats.
Villanova generated early momentum in the opening set, using a 5-0 run capped by a Diggs service ace to force a UConn timeout at 5-1 before a Lewis putaway pushed the lead to five at 6-1. Connecticut battled back out of their timeout to draw level at 10 and would take a brief two-point lead thanks to a Sydney Borowy putaway before the 'Cats once again knotted the score this time at 12 apiece. The two sides continually traded points throughout the middle of the set with neither side leading by more than two points. Trailing 23-20 late in the frame, Nova mounted a 3-0 surge behind back-to-back Lewis putaways to knot the score at 23-23 and force a Husky timeout. The Wildcats staved off three separate set points utilizing kills from McKinnon, McGivern, and Kelly to level the frame at 24, 25, and 27, but the hosts ultimately claimed the final two points to take the opening set 29-27.
The 'Cats came out firing in the second set, claiming the first three points and building a quick 8-2 lead powered by four early putaways from Lewis and a service ace from Ritterbusch. The Wildcats continued to press their advantage, opening up a commanding double-digit cushion at 17-6 behind a dominant 6-0 service run from Diggs that featured three kills from Lewis, forcing two UConn timeouts in the process. Nova maintained complete control through the middle stretch, stretching the margin to as large as 12 points at 21-9 following a joint block by Lewis and McGivern. The Huskies attempted a brief late-set spark with back-to-back two-point spurts, but a kill from Kelly and a flying putaway from
Annika Veurink locked up the second set for Villanova to even the match at one.
The third set proved to be a tightly contested affair with neither team leading by more than three points throughout the frame. UConn captured early momentum to go up 8-5. However Villanova answered back with three straight points off of a McGivern kill, a Husky attack error, and a McKinnon kill to tie the set at 8. Connecticut re-established control, building a 16-13 cushion following an Abigail Buckner ace, but Nova remained within striking distance behind net play from McGivern and McKinnon. The 'Cats mounted a late push as kills from Veurink and McKinnon cut the deficit to one, bringing the set to 20-19. After a Ritterbusch service ace tied the frame at 22-22 and prompted a Huskies timeout, the home side collected consecutive putaways from Hailey Maes to earn set point at 24-22. A Lewis kill allowed the Wildcats to stave off the first set point, but Maes delivered her third kill of the late sequence to seal the 25-23 set victory for UConn.
UConn jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the fourth frame following a Maja Daca service ace. Villanova briefly swung momentum back in its favor after winning a challenge that brought the score to 3-2, but Connecticut answered with a 4-1 spurt to open up a 7-3 advantage. UConn continued to apply the pressure as it extended its lead to 15-9 behind another Daca ace and a block from Isabella Sohl and Courtney Grayson. The Huskies built their largest lead of the set at 19-11 before the Wildcats mounted a late 7-2 charge highlighted by two McKinnon kills and a joint block by McKinnon and McGivern to shrink the deficit to 21-18. However, the Huskies stifled the comeback attempt, taking four of the final five points to secure the 25-19 set win and clinch the 3-1 match victory.
UP NEXT: Villanova heads to Rhode Island tomorrow to conclude its New England swing to face off with the Providence Friars. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
