LAKEWOOD, NJ (Oct. 17, 2023) - With a big CACC match looming Thursday against Jefferson, it would have been easy for Georgian Court Volleyball to look ahead to the Rams. But the Lions were focused on Tuesday and their opponent, Lincoln (PA). So much so that Georgian Court did something that had only been done twice in program history and set a new school record in the process. 

Georgian Court landed 49 kills with just eight errors on 81 attempts. That's good for a .506 attack percentage and is a new single-match high in Lions Volleyball history. It's just the second-time they've ever hit .500 for an entire match. The first time came back in 2008 against Goldey-Beacom. It's also the third-highest hitting percentage for a match in CACC history and tied for the eighth-highest percentage in a match in NCAA Division II this season. 

How it Happened
• As mentioned above, the Lions hit .506 with 49 kills on 81 attempts. Lincoln for their part hit .141 with 20 kills against just nine errors.
• GCU was also able to get points on the serve, putting down 11 aces. Lincoln scored five aces but also five service errors.
• On defense, the Lions totaled six blocks and gave up just three.
• The GCU defense dished out 44 digs while Lincoln scooped 22.
Set 1
• Georgian Court showed they meant business early scoring the first eight points of the match.
• Iciar Zayas had a service ace for the first point and Giorgia Cappelletti added a pair of kills.
• Lincoln was never able to recover and GCU cruised to a 25-9 set win. 
• GCU hit .571 in the set with 14 kills against two errors.
Set 2
• Georgian Court again started out well this time with a 4-0 run. Chelsea Ross had her hand in back-to-back blocks as GCU was off and running.
• The lead hovered around seven points for much of the frame. Leading 18-12, GCU scored five straight to go up 23-12. Nylene Mateo had two aces and Cappelletti three kills during the spurt.
• Cappelletti capped the set with her sixth kill for a 25-15 win. 
• GCU bettered themselves in set two hitting .593 with 18 kills and just two attack errors. Cappelletti and Mateo each had six.
Set 3
• The third set was by far the closest of them all. It was the only one Georgian Court did not lead throughout.
• Set three featured 12 ties and eight lead changes.
• At the outset, the set was tied at every point from 1-8 as neither team could get more than a one-point advantage.
• GCU finally changed that going up 10-8 thanks to back-to-back Cappelletti kills.
• Lincoln though fought back and eventually took a two-point lead of their own, 13-11, with a 5-1 run.
• Tied up at 15-all, Georgian Court scored four straight with two kills from Mateo and a block and kill from Amiyah Woods.
• GCU led the rest of the way and Chelsea Ross finished things off with a kill.

Georgian Court Stat Leaders
• Giorgia Cappelletti rarely missed with 13 kills on 17 attempts and a .647 attack percentage. She added eight digs and four aces as well.
• Nylene Mateo was also in double-figures with 12 kills and hit .526 with three aces and four digs.
• Chelsea Ross scored five kills on seven attempts without an error for a .714 attack percentage. She chipped in three blocks.
• Amiyah Woods and Martina Croce each added nine kills. Croce picked up six digs and Woods three blocks on defense.
• Iciar Zayas passed out 44 assists, nearly 14 per set. 
• Carmen Rivera paced the defense with 18 digs.

For Lincoln
• Erica Taylor hit .350 with eight kills and one error. 
• Janaa Smith passed out eight assists and Jaida Lumpkin seven.
• Haley Loper chipped in five kills.

News and Notes
• The new school record .506 attack percentage is most noteworthy in a game sprinkled with notes. 
• GCU improves to 6-0 all-time against Lincoln. They've won all 18 sets between the two Lion clubs.
• Nylene Mateo put back her 100th career block.
• Amiyah Woods scored her 400th career point. 
• The 49 kills and 48 assists are the most by GCU in a three-set match this season. It's their most in any three-set match since October of 2019 against Saint Rose. 
• GCU closes nonconference play in 2023 at 6-4.
• Their four straight wins are their most this season and most since winning nine straight at the start of the 2021 season.

Up Next
• Georgian Court returns to CACC action Thursday, Oct. 19. They'll host Jefferson in a rematch from earlier this season. First serve is set for 6 p.m. It's the Lions Pink Out game during Breast Cancer Awareness month. Outside of the arena, a table will be set up with members for Georgian Court SAAC accepting donations.