CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Old Dominion volleyballlooked to clinch a road victory at Virginia on Tuesday night as the Monarchs served match point three times in the fifth set, but the hosts held off ODU for an 18-16 final at Memorial Gymnasium.
"I think I speak for everyone involved when I say my pride for this program was at a new high tonight. Obviously, we would have wanted a different final result. We earned our chances to win the match and that's what we have to keep in the front of our minds. We lost a hard-fought match tonight and I am very proud of the team's effort," said head coach Fred Chao.
Myah Conway and Bryanna Jones led ODU with 13 kills each, and Alice Munari also scored in double figures with 11 kills. Teresa Atilano was one assist shy of tying her season high, finishing with 41 for the evening. Jones added 18 digs for her first career double-double, and Atilano tallied 10 digs for her third double-double of the season. Munari served three aces with eight digs, Bailey Burgess recorded six blocks (two solo), Conway and LeeAnne Lowery had four blocks each, and Ashlynn Belcher set a new career high with 12 digs.
Virginia 3, ODU 2
The Monarchs (4-3) jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the opening set. A Munari kill opened up a 5-0 run that swelled the ODU lead to 13-4. Later in the set, a pair of Atilano kills, another kill from Jones, and a Munari service ace made it 23-11 in favor of Old Dominion. A bad set by Virginia then gave ODU the set, 25-16.
In the second set, a couple of UVA aces helped the Cavaliers (4-1) build an 8-4 lead. ODU pulled even at 17-17 on an ace from Belcher, but the Hoos claimed the set 25-21 to tie the match at a set apiece.
ODU found itself trailing 9-4 in Set Three, but outscored Virginia 11-2 to jump ahead, 15-11. The hosts were able to knot the score at 18-18 to force an ODU timeout. Munari and Tessa Mati then helped the Monarchs regain the lead with back-to-back kills, and a Virginia attack error led to a timeout by the home team. The Monarchs then secured four of the final six points to win the set, 25-21.
A pair of 4-0 runs allowed the Cavs to pull away in the fourth set, 12-6, and Virginia went up by 10, 19-9 on a service ace. ODU answered with a 5-1 swing to cut the deficit to 20-14, but UVA kept the match going with a 25-16 decision.
Virginia served three straight aces to open the fifth set, but a Cavalier attack error and kills by Jones and Lowery tied the score at 3-3. The set featured a total of 12 ties and four lead changes, with the Monarchs serving match point at 14-13, 15-14 and again at 16-15. However, UVA retook the lead 17-16 on a block and kill. Burgess then aimed for the back corner, but her attack was too wide as the Cavaliers won the set and the match.
Up Next
The Monarchs will play in the DC Showdown, co-hosted by Georgetown and George Washington, this weekend. ODU will play the Hoyas at 11 a.m. and the Revolutionaries at 6 p.m. on Friday, then close out their trip with a noon match against North Alabama on Saturday.
Monarchs Push Virginia to Brink, but Fall in Five Sets
