NORFOLK, Va. – Teresa Atilano set up match point for ODU by knocking in a service ace before Alessia Sgherza hammered down a kill on Wednesday evening to finish off UNCW (0-4, 0-2 CAA) in five sets (22-25, 25-16, 14-25, 25-16, 15-12) at the ODU Volleyball Center.
"It was quite a rollercoaster, that's for sure. Both teams showed signs of really good volleyball, but it was managing those ups and downs,"ODU head coach Fred Chao said. "I think us being young helps us manage some of those downs because we're still figuring things out, and we want them to be tough and gutsy and go for the points when we can get them."
Sgherza led the Monarchs (7-4, 4-2 C-USA) with 22 kills and 14 digs, her third double-double of the season.
ODU played from behind most of the first set, falling behind 8-2 early on. ODU utilized a timeout but the Seahawks extended its lead, 14-9. ODU added two points before UNCW took advantage of a timeout. ODU got within striking distance with a trio of Ashley Peroe kills and one from Sgherza closed the deficit to just two points. UNCW used a kill and two ODU errors to narrowly win the first set, 25-22.
The Monarchs struck back in the second set, winning a convincing 25-16 frame, where they led the entire set, to knot up the match, 1-1. Hailey Duncan had a standout second set, knocking down four kills and adding a block, while Peroe added a pair of services aces and kills.
The third set went in favor of the Seahawks, 25-14. It was a tie game, 4-4, until UNCW compiled a 5-1 run to force an ODU timeout. The Seahawks continued its offensive momentum, controlling the match, 18-12 following a 9-7 run. ODU was unable to fight back from its deficit and only logged two more points the rest of the set.
ODU grabbed control early in the fourth set, 7-3, however following a UNCW timeout, the Seahawks came back to knot up the game, 10-10. A pair of Sgherza kills and an Atilano ace put ODU back in front, 13-10. It was all ODU the rest of the way, downing the Seahawks, 25-16 in the fourth set, to send the match to a fifth.
In the decisive fifth set, ODU allowed the Seahawks to lead early on, 5-1. The Monarchs knotted up the frame, 5-5 after Sgherza, Peroe, De Jesus and Madeline Rudd delivered kills. The two squads went back-and-forth, but ODU used a 5-2 scoring run to solidify the Wednesday night win.
Up Next
ODU will hit the road to return to C-USA action to take on Charlotte on March 14 and March 15.
Volleyball Takes Down UNCW in Five Sets
