BRIDGEPORT, CT (Oct. 8, 2022) - Georgian Court Volleyball dropped their third straight match, this time 3-1 on the road at Bridgeport. The third set was again the key set as the Lions tied with a win in the second. But a close third went by way of the Purple Knights who then secured the win 25-14, 17-25, 25-21, 25-13.

How it Happened
• Both teams hit well with GCU committing just 14 attack errors and Bridgeport 17. The Lions hit .252 for the match and the Purple Knights .298.
• Bridgeport though landed 13 more kills, 53-40. 
• The Purple Knights did damage on service landing 13 aces. GCU managed five, all from Nylene Mateo.
• The GCU defense totaled 47 digs and five blocks. Bridgeport secured 42 digs and four blocks.
• Things were tight early in set one. The Purple Knights led by just one, 6-5, but then scored six straight to go up 12-5. Georgian Court was unable to dig into that lead at all and Bridgeport took the first set 25-14. Bridgeport landed five aces in the set, including the first point of the match.
• Set two saw Bridgeport score four straight for an early 6-3 lead, but this time the Lions responded right away. They went on a 7-0 run of their own to go up 10-6. Five of the Lions points came on consecutive service aces. Bridgeport cut the lead to two on a couple of occasions, but couldn't get any closer. The Lions finished the Purple Knights off scoring four straight with kills from Mateo and Ava Venneri.
• The third set was the closest of the four. Georgian Court was ahead early, 8-5, but Bridgeport rattled off five straight points to take a 10-8 lead. The lead got to be no more than three, but with GCU down just one, 17-16, Bridgeport went on another run, again scoring five straight points for a 22-16 advantage. The teams traded points the rest of the way, but that wasn't enough for the Lions who fell 25-21. 
• After the Purple Knights went ahead in the match 2-1, the kept that momentum going into the fourth set. They scored seven of the first eight points and never trailed in the frame, winning the match by taking set four, 25-13.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Nylene Mateo hit .441 for the match and landed a match-high 18 kills. She also served up five aces and finished with a double-double with 11 digs.
• Iciar Zayas handed out 31 assists and finished a dig shy of a double-double.
• Jana Borkovic scooped up a match-high 17 digs.
• Ava Venneri and Chelsea Ross chipped in seven kills each.
• Ross and Emma Gildea each put back four blocks.

For the Purple Knights
• Marissa Mullens led the team hitting .500 with 16 kills.
• Lucia Tomiello added 14 kills with a .306 attack percentage and nine digs.
• Paola Hernandez was also in double-figures with 10 kills. 
• Jaden Drollinger totaled 40 assists, 10 digs and four kills.

News and Notes
• This was the first CACC match for any Georgian Court team against Bridgeport.
• Nylene Mateo surpassed 600 career kills. The 20th player in GCU history to hit that benchmark. She also surpassed 700 points and hit her 70th service ace.
• Iciar Zayas went over 500 assists. She's the 12th in Georgian Court history to pass out 500 or more career assists.
• The Lions .252 hitting percentage was their highest in a loss this season.
• Their 14 attack errors were also the fewest in a four-set match. 
• Bridgeport's 13 service aces are the second-most GCU has allowed this season.

Up Next
• It's another quick turnaround for the Lions. They head to Philadelphia to take on Chestnut Hill Tuesday, Oct. 11. The Lions will look to avenge a three-set loss to the Griffons at home earlier this season.