Credit: GR Productions
Pirates Storm Back Being Down Two, Win in Five Sets vs Hoyas
Published: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
by Tommy Fee
WASHINGTON, DC – Seton Hall volleyball (12-16, 6-11) made their final trip of the season down to Washington D.C., taking on the Georgetown Hoyas (10-19, 3-14) on Wednesday night in a five-set duel. The Hall have now won four of their last six matchups, with losses only coming to No. 5 Creighton and Marquette.
The first set opened with a quick kill for the Hoyas, but multiple service errors gave The Hall points and possession early, keeping it a close score. After a kill from Georgetown, the Pirates trailed 13-11, and took a quick timeout. That time-out would result in a coach's point, following an attacking error from Georgetown. Seton Hall continued with a late set 19-18 lead, but a Pirates’ error and a kill and block for the Hoyas resulted in a 21-19 Hoya lead.
This prompted another timeout by the Pirates that would come to help them, as it resulted in a Georgetown service error and a subsequent ace for Pirate Asli Subasili. Despite the two-point swing tying the teams at 21 apiece, the Hoyas would continue to strike; two kills from Dionna Mitchell aided Georgetown in their push to 25, with Mitchell getting a set-point kill to claim the first frame 25-23.
The close loss certainly stifled the momentum for the Pirates, as Georgetown’s Mary Grace Goyena would get back-to-back kills to open the second set. The Pirates responded with a kill from Perri Lucas, but not before the Hoyas could bank another pair of consecutive kills from Mitchell. Down 4-1, the early onslaught would continue for the Hoyas, as two Pirate attacking errors, a service ace, and a kill would see the Hoyas quickly go up by seven.
The Pirates called a timeout, but still they could not find their rhythm coming out of it. The hole for the Pirates would only grow, following a kill by Goyena, and back-to-back service aces from Karis Park. After trading kills and some Pirate errors, the potent offense of the Hoyas throughout the second frame would result in the Pirates' loss, 25-10.
Yet the Pirates, down but not out, came alive to begin the third set. They quickly started the frame on a 5-1 run, as Pirate Jenna Walsh would come alive with four straight kills to kickstart her team’s offense. After a block and an attacking error knotted things at 11, the Hall would call a timeout. The two teams repeatedly traded kills, but the Pirates maintained the edge in this set and limited their errors in the late stretch. Perri Lucas had the set-winning kill that concluded the frame 25-23 in favor of the Pirates.
Quickly down 3-1 early in the fourth set, this time a Subasili ace would kickstart the Pirate side of the net. After back-and-forth kills from the Hall’s Laila Wallace, Maddie Klungel, and another from Walsh, Mason Woo would catch back-to-back service aces, putting the Pirates up 10-7.
Calling for a timeout after a Hoya block, and dropping a few points from service errors, the Hall were down only one, 13-12. Following the break, and for the remainder of the set, Jenna Walsh and the Pirate offense began to heat up. Throughout a six-point span, Walsh had five kills, and to round out the set, both Lucas had a kill and Senna Roberts-Navarro had two. The Pirates finished the job by a score of 25-21, forcing a set five.
In the all-important set five, it began with a kill from Georgetown, and after trading kills and attacking errors, back-to-back kills from Walsh would spark the Pirates offense again. After her fourth kill in the fifth frame alone, simultaneously the fourth kill in a row for the Pirates, Georgetown had to take a timeout down 10-7 –not too different from the timeout during set four.
After yet another Walsh kill, Georgetown opted to take their second timeout. Even after a Seton Hall error and a Hoya kill and block, it was yet again Walsh with back-to-back kills to put the Pirates up a commanding 13-9. Following a swift Georgetown kill in response, a Roberts-Navarro spike would take things to match point. A service error from the Hall would put the ball and the pressure onto Georgetown’s side of the net. Following a Hoya service error, the Pirates completed the reverse sweep, and took the final set, 15-11.
Despite previous tough matchups against conference leaders Creighton and Marquette, and going down two sets early in this bout, the Pirates proved they not only have the fight, but also the ability to close out the match. The Pirates gave an incredible performance, going into Hoya territory and taking the game in five, after being down big.
Leaders for the Pirates include Jenna Walsh, who repeatedly kicked the Pirate offense into overdrive, who at a .562 attack percentage, lead the team with 19 kills in just three sets. Additionally, Maddie Klungel contributed her spot-on services, leading the game in assists with 53.
The win puts the Pirates at 12-16 overall and 6-11 in conference, good for eighth in the conference. Looking ahead for Seton Hall, their final match of the season will be in Walsh Gymnasium on Saturday against Butler, slated to begin at 5:00.
Tommy Fee can be reached at thomas.fee@student.shu.edu.Posted in: sports,