NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion (7-9, 4-7 C-USA) volleyball team dropped its match against No. 18 Western Kentucky (17-0, 11-0 C-USA) in three sets (25-12, 25-17, 25-19) at the ODU Volleyball Center on Friday night.
ODU was led offensively by Alessia Sgherza, who knocked down 10 kills. Defensively, Olivia De Jesus, Madeline Rudd and Sgherza each notched two blocks.
"We improved each rally and every time we've gotten a chance to play volleyball with them. We made some silly mistakes, some youthful mistakes, but that's bound to happen," expressed ODU head coach Fred Chao. "When we did rally, we rallied well. We were just inside out way too often so WKU got strings of points off of their serves, because they did serve well."
WKU used a 9-3 run in the opening frame to break away from ODU early. Rudd delivered a kill to put ODU back on the board, but the Hilltoppers strung together a 10-6 run to open up a 20-10 lead and force an ODU timeout. Following the break, WKU closed with a 5-2 run to finish off the first set, 25-12.
ODU kept the second game close, trading points and remaining tied, 10-10. The Hilltoppers compiled a 3-0 run, but the Monarchs quickly responded with back-to-back kills from Sgherza and Ashley Peroe to get back within one. The Hilltoppers mounted a 9-4 run late in the second set to lead 23-16. Following an ODU timeout, Hailey Duncan knocked down a kill to get back within six, but the Hilltoppers responded with back-to-back points to win the set, 25-17.
The third set went in favor of the Hilltoppers, 25-19. It was a close game throughout as ODU and WKU were knotted, 10-10. An Avri Davis kill mounted a 4-1 lead for the Hilltoppers. ODU got back within one following two Monarch kills, a service ace from Teresa Atilano and a WKU attack error. ODU remained within striking distance, but the Hilltoppers broke away with a 9-4 run to close out the set.
Up Next
ODU and the Hilltoppers will face off once more on Saturday, March 27 at 12:30 p.m. at the ODU Volleyball Center.
Volleyball Falls to No. 18 WKU, 3-0
