Marquette Volleyball Reigns Supreme in Nation's Capital

Sept. 29, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Behind junior Kimberley Todd's 18 kills and 42.4 hitting percentage, and 10 kills and six blocks by freshman Leslie Bielski, the Marquette volleyball team improved to 2-1 in the BIG EAST and 6-8 overall with a 3-0 (30-20, 31-29, 30-8) victory over Georgetown Friday evening at McDonough Gym. The Golden Eagles defeat of the Hoyas (5-9, 0-2) was their first in three chances all time.

MU found itself in a hole early in the first game, down 9-5. A 6-2 run tied the game at 11-11 and soon, the Golden Eagles had their first lead of the game on a kill by senior Jamie Mueller at 15-14. After trading the next two points, Marquette increased its lead to 19-15 over Georgetown, its largest of the game at that point, on a kill by Bielski. The lead increased to six on a smash by senior Nicole Wallace, the first point of five consecutive for the Golden Eagles to close the game, 30-20.

Todd led MU to a 31.7 hitting percentage in the first frame, tallying eight kills.

Game two began just as it finished, a battle all the way to the final point, as neither team was able to pull ahead by more than two, midway through the frame. MU took the first significant lead of the game at 17-14 on a kill by Todd, and then extended its advantage to four at 25-21 on another slam by Todd.

Back stormed the Hoyas, however, scoring eight of the next 12 points to tie the game late, 29-29. The Golden Eagles held tough as Bielski and junior Tiffany Helmbrecht skied high for a block, giving Marquette a 30-29 lead. Bielski extinguished any thoughts of a Georgetown comeback on the next serve, sending home MU's 31st point as it took a 2-0 lead in the match.

Todd led the Golden Eagles for the second-straight game with seven kills.

The final frame was, perhaps, the most dominant played by Marquette this season, as the team rolled to a 30-8 victory. The game featured four large runs by the Golden Eagles, the first of which came early with the score tied 1-1. MU scored eight consecutive points, a string highlighted by Wallace who registered three kills, to take a 9-1 lead.

The next run was a five-point streak, moving Marquette ahead 16-4 on blocks by junior Jenn Brown and Bielski. A second 5-0 run soon followed it, this time capped by one of Bielski's game-high six kills, as the Golden Eagles increased their lead to 21-6.

The final run came with the score 23-8, as MU scored seven consecutive points, with the match culminating on a kill by Wallace.

Marquette hit 56.0 percent in the frame, the greatest hitting percentage in a game this season.

Bielski finished the match with a 38.9 (10-3-18) hitting percentage. Wallace also registered an impressive accuracy rating, hitting 47.4 (9-0-19) percent without an error. The Golden Eagles as a team hit 31.6 percent.

Despite breaking a streak of 13 games with a double-double, Mueller led the team with 17 digs and junior Monica Renfrow led the squad with 31 assists.

Annie Connor led Georgetown with nine kills in the match.

Marquette resumes play, Sunday, at 2 p.m. ET, when it travels to Tampa, Fla., to face South Florida.