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La Salle University Athletics

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Sam Graver
Greg Carroccio / Sideline Photos
3
Winner La Salle LaS 2-0,2-0 Atlantic 10
0
George Washington GWU 1-6,0-4 Atlantic 10
Winner
La Salle LaS
2-0,2-0 Atlantic 10
3
Final
0
George Washington GWU
1-6,0-4 Atlantic 10
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
La Salle LaS 25 25 25 (3)
George Washington GWU 18 21 23 (0)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Volleyball Flies Past George Washington in Straight Sets, Improves to 2-0

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle volleyball (2-0) defeated George Washington (1-6, 0-4 A-10) in straight sets on Saturday evening, continuing the strong start to its season. Freshman Isa Lopez impressed again on the defensive end with 23 digs, while fellow rookie Yaiza Franco chipped in with eight kills on an efficient .353 hitting percentage. Leading the offensive charge was junior Elizabeth Osborn, who finished with a game-high 15 kills and three aces. The Explorers are now 2-0 to start the season for the first time in five years.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • George Washington jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but a service error from the Colonials and three aces by senior Samantha Graver pushed La Salle ahead. The Explorers maintained a narrow 8-7 advantage before embarking on a run of seven straight points, which opened up a decisive gap. A Franco kills later in the set put the Blue & Gold at set point, up 24-14, and despite a late run by the hosts, La Salle prevailed.
  • The Explorers started the second quickly, breaking out to a 4-0 lead that ballooned to 9-2. George Washington did have an answer to the tune of an 11-2 run that gave it a brief lead, but La Salle's offensive leaders, Osborn and Graver, saw that it was short-lived. The Explorers and Colonials battled closely the rest of the way, with the La Salle staying just in front—never more than three points ahead. Up 23-21, kills from senior Reilly Lowe and sophomore Sydney Stone won La Salle the second frame.
  • The home team reorganized itself to start the third and took an early 8-2 advantage. The Explorers resolutely answered with a 7-1 run of their own to tie things up. The teams went back and forth with La Salle holding slight leads through the middle part of the set, but two errors from the Blue & Gold allowed the Colonials to tie it at 18-18. Then, the action heated up. Two points to the Explorers, two points to the Colonials, three more points to La Salle, two more to George Washington and suddenly the away side held a precarious 23-22 lead. A timely kill from Graver put La Salle at match point. An attack error from Osborn closed the gap to 24-23, but the number 11 bounced back. Osborn kill. Set. Match.
 INSIDE THE NUMBERS
  • La Salle outplayed George Washington in most facets of this game—a total team victory. The Explorers finished with 14 more kills than their opponent (45-31) and out-hit them .246 to .173.
  • Aced it: La Salle had the serve going all game and totaled nine aces to George Washington's two. Graver and Osborn both had three, while Stone added two.
  • The Explorers took a marked leap on defense in their second game. They lowered the Colonials' hitting percentage from .198 to .173. 
  • La Salle also flipped the dig disparity: in the first game, George Washington out-dug them 112-86 (-26); in the second match, the Explorers record 47 digs to the Colonials' 41 (+6).
  • The integral cog of that defense is Lopez, who was all over the court and, somehow, raised the high bar she set in the first game. She tallied 29 digs across five frames Friday (5.8 per set) and 23 digs across three frames on Saturday (7.7 per set).
  • Speaking of raised averages, redshirt sophomore Sarah Nahas continues to impress as the key facilitator. If her 10.4 assists per set in Friday's game raised eyebrows, then her 13.3 assists per set on Saturday singed those eyebrows off.
  • The Blue & Gold received good offensive production from the trio of Lowe, Stone and Franco who combined for almost half of the team's kills (20 of 45).
 COACH'S PERSPECTIVE
  • Head coach Andrew Kroger was yet again impressed by his side, complimenting the full-team effort: "After finding a way to win on Friday with gritty and scrappy play, the team really stepped up and executed at a much higher level today. Offensively, Yaiza Franco, Reilly Lowe and Sydney Stone really stepped up their level of play from Friday and provided a balance to our offense that gave GW fits. Meanwhile Isa Lopez continues to prove herself to be one of the best liberos in the A10. Her rock-solid serve receive and incredible defense is an absolute game changer.
 UP NEXT
  • La Salle remains on the road and will look the improve to 3-0 when they travel to George Mason on Friday.
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