Rutgers University
Georgetown
Rally Falls Short for Rutgers Volleyball
Oct 30 | Women's Volleyball
NEW BRUNSWICK N.J. (October 30, 2011) - Rutgers University volleyball made a valiant comeback from down two sets to zero to force a fifth set, but fell, 3-2, to visiting Georgetown University on Sunday afternoon at the College Ave Gym. Freshman Sofi Cucuz (Crown Point, Ind.) had a career-high 22 kills on the day to lead all players.
The Hoyas won by scores of 25-17, 25-18, 21-25, 23-25 and 15-13 to improve to 14-10 on the season and 6-5 in the BIG EAST. Rutgers falls to 8-19 and 1-9 in the conference.
"We bounced back after the ten minute break between games two and three and really showed some resolve, but we came out on the short end," said head coach CJ Werneke after the match. "We have to find a way to come out and approach the match with a little bit more holistic approach and pick up the intensity in games one and two. If so, we are probably looking at a different outcome."
The match was played on a side court at the College Ave Gym due to a leak in the roof, preventing play from taking place on the center court. Overall, Rutgers is now 5-6 at home this season.
"It is never ideal when you have a facility issue like we did, but both sides had to deal with it," said Werneke. "It is unusual, but it didn't really affect the outcome of the game. What affected the outcome of the game was our kids' approach early on. That is something we need to figure out."
Cucuz had a standout performance with 22 kills on 40 attempts (.400 hitting percentage) to lead the Scarlet Knights offensively. Her previous career high was 17 slammers against Fordham on Oct. 4.
"After game one I challenged her to step up and play like she is capable of," said Werneke. "To her benefit, she did that which was nice to see. She has matured throughout the year and can respond to criticism well. I am glad that she is developing the way we anticipated."
Junior setter Stephanie Zielinski (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) had another solid all-around performance with 50 assists, 16 digs and seven total blocks. It was the seventh time this season she recorded at least 50 assists and the 15th match she notched a double-double - the most in the BIG EAST. Sunday was the fifth-straight match the junior totaled a double-double.
Classmate Alex Jones (Chesapeake, Va.) also continued to play well since her return, tallying 14 kills. The middle blocker was also involved in eight blocks.
Defensively, Rutgers out-dug Georgetown, 70-60, led by Zielinski's 16 pickups. Sophomore Brittany Bozzini (Saratoga, Calif.) (14) and freshman Alyssa Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) (11) also recorded double-digit digs. Monka, additionally, led the Scarlet Knights with a career-high three service aces.
Sunday's match was eerily similar to last season's Rutgers-Georgetown matchup that was played in Washington, D.C., with the Hoyas taking the first two sets, the Scarlet Knights winning the next two and GU claiming the deciding fifth set 15-13.
The Hoyas dominated early on with a .368 hitting percentage through the first two sets, heading into the break with all the momentum.
Rutgers responded in the third with a change in the rotation and a more aggressive approach to win that set and the next to force a fifth set. It was sixth match this season that went the distance for RU, but the first five-set contest at home.
Georgetown led 8-7 at the break in the fifth and extended the lead to 14-11, forcing a Rutgers timeout. RU took home the next two points to put the pressure on the Hoyas, but a kill from Lindsay Wise sealed the match for the guests.
Wise (17 kills) was one of five Hoyas to record double-digit kills, as GU totaled a .241 hitting percentage. Setter Ashley Malone nearly tallied a triple-double with 11 kills (on 14 attempts), 46 assists and eight digs. Dani White also had eight total blocks in the win.
The Georgetown win snapped a streak of seven-consecutive wins for the home team in the RU-GU series. GU last won on the road against RU in 1995. The Scarlet Knights now lead the matchup 25-16 in a contest that goes back to 1978.
Rutgers will hit the road for the final time next weekend, traveling to DePaul (Nov. 5, 2 p.m.) and Notre Dame (Nov. 6, 2 p.m.) in a pair of BIG EAST matches.
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