LAKEWOOD, NJ (Sept. 27, 2023) - Georgian Court Volleyball and Holy Family played a spirited match Wednesday night at the GCU Wellness Center in front of a loud and raucous crowd. The match was close throughout, but fell by the way of Holy Family 3-1. The Tigers won two of their three sets by just two points and all four were determined by four or fewer points. The Lions drop to 7-6 this year and 2-2 in the CACC.

How it Happened
• Throughout four sets, the match featured 21 tie scores and nine lead changes, many of those coming in the fourth set.
• Georgian Court actually out hit the Tigers .188-.140. The Tigers landed six more kills, 49-43, but also hit eight more errors, 27-19.
• The biggest difference was on the service line. Holy Family landed 17 service aces while the Lions hit just six. HFU did hit 13 service errors as well to GCU's eight, but overall were a +6 at the line.
• Both teams picked up seven total blocks on defense. The Lions also corralled 72 digs to the Tigers 59.
Set 1
• Holy Family took a 5-1 lead in the frame to get on top early.
• GCU responded though with a 9-5 run to tie the frame at 10.
• With the match still tied at 13, Holy Family scored five of six for a four-point lead, 18-14, getting three kills plus a block and forcing a Lion timeout.
• Coming out of the break, GCU got to within two, but no closer as a kill from Jayden Bralts handed set one to Holy Family 25-21.
Set 2
• Georgian Court never trailed in set two, but it did get dicey at the end.
• The Lions led by as much as nine, 19-10, after a Nylene Mateo service ace and looked primed to tie the game 1-1.
• Holy Family had other ideas though and a 10-2 run got them to within a single point, 21-20.
• Georgian Court got kills from Giorgia Cappelletti and Chelsea Ross to push the lead to three and back-to-back kills from Mateo ended the set 25-21, this time in favor of GCU.
Set 3
• Set three was the Lions turn to try to make a large comeback.
• Holy Family though never trailed.
• Tied at 10 following a Cappelletti kill, HFU scored the next six points getting four kills and two service aces.
• The Tigers still led by six, 22-16, when Georgian Court started to rally. Three straight HFU errors cut the lead in half.
• Now with Holy Family leading 23-20, GCU twice got to within one, 23-22 and 24-23. Abby Bachman though ended the set with a kill at 25-23.
Set 4
• The fourth set is the one GCU wants to have back. They scored eight of the first 10 points helped out by three Jessica Sprankle service aces.
• The lead was quickly erased though with a 9-3 HFU run, tying the set at 11.
• Once it was tied at 11, no team led by more than three at any point in the set.
• Holy Family kept the run going and built a 19-16 lead, their largest of the set, with two Shelby Kinzer kills and a service ace.
• GCU answered though by scoring four straight with two kills from Mateo and one from Iciar Zayas.
• The teams traded points the rest of the way as noone gained more than a one-point edge until set point.
• GCU got back-to-back kills from Cappelletti to go ahead 24-23, but two Jayden Bralts kills and Morgan Steck ace gave Holy Family three straight points to steal the set and the match, 26-24.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Nylene Mateo led the offense with 18 kills and picked up 19 digs for a double-double.
• Giorgia Cappelletti finished a kill shy of double-figures but added a team-best 22 digs.
• Chelsea Ross scored 10 points with seven kills and four blocks, two solo and two assists.
• Martina Croce put down six kills.
• Jessica Sprankle served up three aces and scooped 19 digs.
• Iciar Zayas was all over the floor with 38 assists and 10 digs.

For the Tigers
• Shelby Kinzer scored a game-high 19 kills to go along with seven digs.  
• Ava Kidd and Jayden Bralts were also in double-figures with 10 kills each. Kidd totaled five blocks as well.
• Morgan Steck recorded 43 assists and seven digs.
• Maeve Boylan had game-highs with 24 digs and six service aces.

News and Notes
• The 17 aces allowed are the most in just over 11 years. Sept. 25, 2012, Georgian Court allowed 19 service aces to Holy Family.
• Holy Family had five service aces in all three of their set wins. 
• The loss is the first at home for the Lions this season.
• Chelsea Ross recorded career kill number 300. 
• Jessica Sprankle reached 800 career digs.
• Holy Family has now won six straight against the Lions. This is the first time in four games GCU won a set against the Tigers. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court finishes their homestand with back-to-back matches Friday and Saturday. First up is Southern Connecticut State Friday, Sept. 29 at 5 p.m.