George Washington University

Nov. 9, 2007

Final Stats

WASHINGTON, DC -- The GW volleyball team, with their collective back against the wall and playing for their postseason life, won the regular-season finale Friday night with a convincing 3-1 victory over Charlotte at Charles E. Smith Athletic Center. The Colonials played with purpose en route to the 30-20, 30-21, 25-30, 30-25 victory that consumed just over two hours.

GW, which had lost to the 49ers in five games just eight days ago at Halton Arena, site of this year's A-10 Championship Tournament, came out strong Friday. Following a prematch ceremony to honor three seniors making their final Smith Center appearances, GW took charge in game one and pulled away from a 9-9 tie with an 11-3 spurt for a 20-12 advantage. GW hit .231 in the game and coasted to the 30-20 victory.

Game two unfolded in similar fashion as the teams were knotted at 14-14 before a 10-3 GW run gave the Colonials a 24-17 margin they never relinquished. Following the 10-minute intermission, it was the 49ers' turn to assert themselves in game three. The game featured three lead changes and seven ties, the last coming at 12-12 before Charlotte began its decisive run on a kill by Alma Arroyo. After the 49ers took an 18-13 lead, GW battled back and cut the deficit to one at 18-17 on kill by Liz Moult. Charlotte would not be denied, however, and rode the arm of Cori Dayton whose two kills and service ace kept the Colonials at bay for the 30-25 victory.

Game four belonged to the home team early as GW raced out to a 17-12 lead. The 49ers though refused to go away, however, and closed to within 22-21 on another kill by Arroyo. GW again pulled away by scoring seven of the final 11 points and ended the match, fittingly, on a kill by senior Janine Brown in her final swing at Smith Center. For Brown, the evening couldn't have been scripted better. The senior from Jacksonville, FL, enjoyed a career night scoring 29 points on a match-high 25 kills with 12 digs for her 24th double-double in 27 appearances this season. She hit her season-high .455 and recorded four blocks and an ace with her parents and brother in attendance.

Fellow senior Jess Buche also ended her home career style assisting on 58 of GW's 63 kills to go with 10 digs and five block assists. GW's third senior, Erica Williams hit an errorless .429 with three kills and four blocks for six points. Moult added 21.5 points on 20 kills and hit .333 to form the Colonials one-two punch with Brown.

For the match, GW combined to hit .280 (63-23-143) to Charlotte's .128 (54-34-156). GW also put up a season-high 15.5 total blocks to 10 blocks by the 49ers.

Charlotte (15-13, 5-8 A-10) was led by Dayton's 20 points on 18 kills while Arroyo added 17 points on 16 kills. Libero Carly Romberg notched a match-high 21 digs.

Pending the outcome of more A-10 matches on Saturday, GW (13-16, 5-8 A-10) appears to have the inside track for the sixth and final berth in the A-10 Championship Tournament, Nov. 16-18, at Charlotte. Teams that have clinched a berth are Dayton, Xavier, Saint Louis and Temple.