WVU Collects its Fifth Sweep of the Season

Tuesday, October 9

Washington, D.C.

6:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

9-9

George Washington

8-9

West Virginia

George Washington

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

October 09, 2018 08:48 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

By: Amy Salvatore

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The West Virginia University volleyball team took a break from nonconference play Tuesday evening, ending a two-match losing streak with a 3-0 sweep over George Washington, at the Charles E. Smith Center, in Washington, D.C. The Mountaineers rolled to the victory in set scores of 25-15, 25-16 and 25-13.

With the win, West Virginia earned its fifth sweep of the season to move to 9-9 on the year (1-4 Big 12), earning an 8-5 mark in nonconference play thus far. Of note, the Mountaineers will wrap up nonconference action with a match against in-state rival Marshall on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at the WVU Coliseum. The squad is now 38-20 all-time in non-league matches under fourth-year coach Reed Sunahara. George Washington drops to 8-9 overall.

"It was a good win," Sunahara said. "I saw some good things tonight. It was another opportunity to get better, but we still have a lot to work on. We just have to continue to compete and get better at our craft."

A trio of Mountaineers hit above .300 on the evening, with junior outside hitter Katelyn Evans hitting .308 to finish with a team-high nine kills. Junior right side hitter Natania Levak was good for seven, hitting .636, while sophomore middle blocker Katie DeMeo and freshman outside hitter Kristin Lux each added six. DeMeo also hit .600 in the match.

Additionally, DeMeo posted one solo block and five block assists for a total of six blocks on the evening. Freshman middle blocker Kristina Jordan notched four block assists of her own, adding two service aces as well.

Sophomore defensive specialist Ava Richards led the floor defense, matching her career in digs, with 11. Junior defensive specialist Gabrielle Cuckovich also notched eight digs in the win.

Freshman setter Lacey Zerwas dished out 30 of the team's 32 assists and added two service aces in the match.

The Mountaineers hit a season-high .306 with 36 kills and 10 team blocks. The Colonials recorded 30 kills on 110 attacks with two team blocks.

West Virginia got off to a hot start in the first set, hitting .323 with 14 kills. A service ace from Zerwas handed the Mountaineers an early 11-5 lead before the Colonials called a timeout. DeMeo, Jordan and Levak each put down a kill for the 16-8 advantage midway through the frame, but GW hung in there, scoring four in a row to come within five at 17-12. West Virginia used a timeout to regroup, as Jordan and Zerwas each found the floor out of the break. The Mountaineer duo then teamed up for the block, pushing the Mountaineers' lead back to eight at 20-12. The Colonials racked up a trio of kills down the stretch, but it wasn't enough, as the Mountaineers won the set, 25-15, off a kill from DeMeo for the 1-0 match lead.

The Mountaineers got into a rhythm early in the second set, using a 6-0 run for a 10-6 lead over the Colonials. However, George Washington used a pair of kills to stay within four, down 14-10. Lux put down a kill, and Cuckovich served up an ace, as the Mountaineers maintained the lead at 17-10. A kill from Evans and a solo block from DeMeo put WVU ahead 19-12, but the Colonials used a pair of kills down the stretch to remain in the set at 21-15. Lux notched a kill late in the frame, as the Mountaineers took advantage of three Colonial miscues for the 25-16 win and 2-0 match advantage.

Following a 6-6 tie in the third set, the Mountaineers scored on a pair of aces from Jordan for the 10-6 lead and never looked back. George Washington took a timeout, trailing 13-7, but West Virginia continued to roll, scoring five straight points out of the stoppage for the 18-7 advantage. A GW kill halted WVU's scoring streak, but the Mountaineers scored on five Colonial errors before Lux put down a kill to bring West Virginia to set point at 24-10. George Washington scored back-to-back-to-back points to extend the set, but Jordan was able to put one through the pins, winning the set 25-13, to record West Virginia's fifth sweep of the season.

Of note, the Mountaineers are three wins away from collecting their 700th win in program history. West Virginia currently holds a 697-732 all-time record since its inaugural season in 1974.

Up next, West Virginia will host its annual Pink Match on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 1 p.m., vs. No. 24 Baylor. It also is Dollar Day, and all tickets and select concessions will be available for $1 each. The team will don pink jerseys in support of breast cancer awareness.

WVU Medicine will sponsor the match and will collect donations for the WVU Cancer Institute. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and can get the WVU sports official "pink" t-shirt with a donation of $10 or more to WVU Medicine.

Following Saturday's match, the Mountaineers will put on a free youth clinic open to any and all entrants in eighth grade and below. Autographs also will take place following the match.

For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUVolleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.