Breaks Go Against GW in Straight-Set Loss to Princeton

Jeff Pawling
Assistant Director, News and Social Media

Fresh off three straight losses last weekend at the Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Invitational in College Park, Maryland, the Colonials seemed to be looking forward to returning home to the friendly confines of the Charles E. Smith Center, where Head Coach Amanda Ault had only lost once entering Friday night. Unfortunately for GW, the breaks simply did not go the Colonials way as they fell in straight sets to Princeton, Ivy League runner-up a year ago, in their opening match of the GW Nike Invitational.

Sophomore Landon Garvik led the way for the Colonials with 12 total attempts, including four kills and three attack errors. Senior Lauren Whyte also had herself a strong match with 10 total attempts, including three kills and two attack errors.

However, the breaks just did not go in GW’s favor as the Colonials lost the final two sets by two points apiece. The Colonials had a chance to serve for the 2^nd set but an errant serve into the net thwarted that opportunity and allowed Princeton to storm back and steal the back-and-forth game 26-24. In the 3^rd set, GW got off to a fast start, but then allowed the Tigers back into the set and ultimately fell 25-23.

Lydia Rudnick killed the Colonials all night with her stellar play. She led the Tigers with 11 total attempts, including six kills. Kendall Peterkin also had herself a strong evening on Tex Silverman Court adding eight total attempts, five of which were kills.

Looking ahead, this loss has to be a bit disheartening for Amanda Ault and her squad. Going into the match, the Colonials could always fall back on the fact that they play extremely well at home and could point to the fact that most of their matches up to this point had been played away from Foggy Bottom. Tonight, however, could be an omen for a team that now falls to a disappointing 2-10 on the season and faces a pair of formidable opponents tomorrow in New Hampshire and 15^th-ranked BYU. Amanda Ault is now faced with the prospect of showing us just how good of a coach she is by turning this season around. If she cannot, this could be a very long season for Colonial Volleyball on Foggy Bottom.

Colonial Volleyball will be back on the air right here on wrgwsports.com at 10 A.M. tomorrow when GW hosts New Hampshire in their 2nd of three matches as part of the GW Nike Invitational. GW will then be right back in action later at 7 P.M. when they face #15 BYU. That match can also be heard on wrgwsports.com.