LAKEWOOD, NJ (Sept. 10, 2024) - Georgian Court Volleyball picked up their first win of the season Tuesday night in their home opener against Kutztown. The Lions took it to the Golden Bears in the 3-1 win. All three set wins were by at least 10 points. GCU moves to 1-3 on the young season.

How it Happened
• Offensively Georgian Court was cooking hitting ..94 with 57 kills.
• The defense limited the Golden Bears to just a .087 attack percentage and 29 kills.
• Georgian Court picked up 18 points off service thanks to 11 aces and seven Kutztown service errors.
• In all three set wins, GCU had a sideout percentage greater than 70%.
Set 1
• Tied at two, GCU went on an 8-2 run to take a commanding 10-4 lead and forced KU to take their second timeout.
• Georgian Court continued to add to their lead, getting up 10, 19-9.
• The teams traded points which was more than enough for GCU to put the set away on a Giorgia Cappelletti kill for a 1-0 match lead.
• GCU hit .481 in the set with 16 kills and just three errors.
Set 2
• The second set was the only close one of the night. 
• Neither team gained much of a lead and midway through, the set was still tied at 11.
• Kutztown then went on a 5-0 run to take their largest lead, 16-11. The Bears were helped out by two GCU service errors and two attack errors.
• GCU fought their way back, getting to within one, 21-20. 
• But the Golden Bears closed out the ser scoring four of the next five with three kills and a service ace.
Set 3
• GCU spotted Kutztown the first three points in set three. After that, it was all Lions.
• Georgian Court responded with an 8-0 run of their own and never looked back after that.
• After being down three, the Lions finished the set scoring 25 of the final 32 points for a 25-10 set win.
• The Lions hit a commanding .667 with 14 kills on 18 swings.
Set 4
• Match four was the first time this season the Lions reached set four.
• The Lions kept up their momentum from set three and started the fourth scoring four of the first five. 
• Kutztown got to within one, 6-5, but the Lions never trailed in the set.
• Leading by four, 13-9, the Lions put the set away scoring nine straight points, getting three Cappelletti service aces during the run.
• Nylene Mateo finished off the Lions first win of the season with a kill in a 25-13 set four win.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Martina Croce led all scorers with 15 kills and hit .440.
• Nylene Mateo added 14 with three service aces.
• Chelsea Ross scored nine kills and three blocks.
• Dayna Diaz passed out 32 assists and was a dig shy of a double-double.
• Carmen Rivera led GCU with 17 digs.
• Giorgia Cappelletti chipped in with six kills, four assists, three service aces and nine digs. 

For the Golden Bears
• Madison Lowe hit 11 kills to lead KU.
• Bryanna Carter hit .250 with six kills.
• Emma Baldridge set the offense with 17 assists.
• Lexi McLanahan picked up 13 digs and three service aces.

News and Notes
• Amiyah Woods scored her 500th career point in the win.
• Nylene Mateo moved to fourth place all-time at GCU in kills.
• Amari Morales dished out a career-high 10 assists.
• GCU improves to 3-4 all-time against Kutztown.
• These two teams have now traded wins in each of the past six matches with the home team winning five of the six.

Up Next
• Georgian Court stays at home this weekend when they welcome Pace to Lakewood with a 12 p.m. first serve.