The Georgetown Hoyas volleyball team arrived at Jake Nevin Field House last Friday with a 1-8 record and without a win on ‘Nova’s territory since 2001. The Wildcats fell to the Hoyas 25-27 during the seniors’ last home game.

Sophomore Maggie Mergen, who was named to the Big East Honor Roll, sparked the Wildcats with three kills in the early stages of the first set. After obtaining an 8-7 lead thanks to freshman Krista Andersen’s cunning kill, ‘Nova’s confidence went through the roof, even though Georgetown kept bouncing back after every good play from the Wildcats.

When it was Gulyas turn to serve, the team sentenced the turnout of the first set. Gulyas posted three aces to help the Wildcats gain a lead of 21-12. Andersen finished the game with 13 kills and tallied two more in the closing stages of the set, which gave ‘Nova a victory of 25-15.

All the smiles began to turn to frustrated grimaces after the first set. The Hoyas slowly began to build momentum, while the Wildcats continuously committed costly errors. Studzinki tried to resuscitate the team’s spirit with a kill that put the score 7-10; but with miscues on the receiving end by the Wildcats, they allowed the Bulldog’s to post 14 kills and 4 aces. Georgetown dominated the second set and took it with a convincing 12-25.

The start of the third set seemed to mirror that of the first, but the Wildcats’ biggest nightmare throughout the game, errors, once again became the protagonist. The ‘Cats posted nine service errors in the game, and three of them came in the third set, which proved to be costly. Georgetown’s junior Vanessa Dorismond got three key kills and helped the Hoyas win 15-25.

Sophomore Kim Maroon finished the match with 18 digs out of the team’s total 54. She leads the Big East in this department and stands third in the NCAA. Maroon obtained a memorable dig in the fourth set to help give the Wildcats a 9-8 lead. Unfortunately, Maroon’s digs were not enough, and in the end, Villanova’s volleyball suffered a heartbreaking loss of 25-27.

The Wildcats will begin a road trip when they play at West Virginia tomorrow evening.