LAKEWOOD, NJ (Sept. 30, 2024) - Georgian Court Volleyball never says die. For the second time this month, the Lions found themselves in an 0-2 hole, only to come all the way back and win the match. This time they pulled off the feat against Pace in front of a raucous home crowd. After dropping sets one and two, 25-19 and 25-17, the Lions stormed back winning by scores of 25-11, 25-17 and 18-16.

How it Happened
• After hitting less than .100 in each of the first two sets, GCU finished the match hitting .186. On the flip side, Pace was hitting .412 with just three errors over the first two frame. They finished hitting .189 with 19 errors over the final three sets.
• The Lions did a good job limiting service errors, just seven in five sets. They also scored 10 aces while Pace hit eight aces and 11 errors.
• Pace put down 14 total blocks in this one and the Lions 11.5. Both teams benefited from some blocking errors as well. The Lions were called for four and the Setters two.
• Each team also corralled 49 digs.
Set 1
• The opening set set the stage for what was to come later. 
• Pace got ahead early thanks to a 16-5 run and seemed to be in control up 22-9.
• Even then the Lions didn't quit. They scored 10 of the final 13 points and even though they didn't win the set, their resolve was on full display. 
• A block, the Setters fifth of the frame gave them the win in set one, 25-19.
Set 2
• Georgian Court was up early in set two, 4-1, but that didn't last long. Pace tied the set at five and took their first lead, 6-5.
• From down 4-1, Pace went on a 12-2 run to take a 13-6 lead.
• They didn't allow the Lions to even sniff a comeback in this one and went up 2-0 with a 25-17 win.
• The Setters hit .520 with 14 kills and just one attack error.
Set 3
• Despite being down 2-0, the Lions seized control of set three early and never looked back.
• They scored the first five points and nine of the first 10, getting three kills from Giorgia Cappelletti.
• Pace was able to get the lead down to four, 9-5, but that was as close as they came.
• Cappelletti finished the set with five kills and three blocks as GCU got back into the match with a 25-11 win.
Set 4
• This was the first tight one as the teams started out trading points.
• Tied at seven, the Lions scored on a Cappelletti and Chelsea Ross block to take an 8-7 lead and they led the rest of the way.
• Nursing a one-point lead, 9-8, the Lions scored seven straight to pull ahead 16-10 thanks to three Cappelletti service aces, two kills from Nylene Mateo and another from Ross.
• Another Mateo kill put GCU up 10, 20-10 an they never looked back, tying the match with a 25-17 win.
Set 5
• Tied at three in the decisive set, the Lions scored three straight with a Mateo and Amiyah Woods block, Pace attack error and another Mateo kill.
• The Setters kept close though and thanks to a 7-2 run, took their first lead since 3-2 at 12-11.
• A Mateo kill and Cappelletti service ace swung the lead back to GCU, 13-12, and a Cappelletti and Ross block put GCU at match point.
• Pace rebounded with three straight and found themselves at match point, 15-14. 
• A GCU timeout led to a service error to tie things at 15.
• Still tied at 16, kills from Ross and Mateo ended the set and the match and completed the comeback for the Lions.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Nylene Mateo led all scorers with 21 kills to go along with 10 digs.
• Giorgia Cappelletti also had a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs.
• Iciar Zayas passed out 23 assists.
• Chelsea Ross totaled 14.5 points with 10 kills and eight total blocks.
• Martina Croce chipped in nine kills and three blocks.
• Carmen Rivera picked up 17 digs and two service aces.

For the Setters
• Karielys Melendez led Pace with 12 kills and 17 digs and was excellent on service reception with 39 receptions in 40 attempts.
• Abby Robertson was in double-figures kills with 10.
• Maggie Ferguson dished 23 assists and Georgette Cosentino 17.
• Yasmeen Muhammad scored six kills and six blocks.

News and Notes
• The Lions first reverse sweep two weeks ago was their first since 2021. This is the first time they've completed two in the same season in more than a decade. They last pulled this off in 2013 defeating Post and Caldwell.
• Perhaps coincidentally, Georgian Court has played two games on Monday nights. Both of those games were the Lions reverse sweep wins.
• Iciar Zayas surpassed 1500 career assists, just the sixth Lion to reach that number. 
• Carmen Rivera picked up her 400th career dig.
• The Lions are now 3-0 in five set matches this season. 

Quotable
Nylene Mateo
On how the Millersville comeback prepare the Lions for tonight's win.
• I think it helps us know we have it in us. It lets us know we can come back from being that far down.
On the energy from the Lions crowd
• We feed off of it a lot. It really helps us in these games. It keeps our fire going.
On looking ahead to two more CACC matches this week
• Stay confident. Work hard and knowing what we can do.

Shana Rayside
On another win after getting down 2-0
• Honestly, I don't know how. It's the adversity. We like to fight. Like I said before, we have this one goal, we want to win. They have the grit to do that. They keep pushing themselves. I love to see that out of them.
On what there is to learn from fighting back at match point.
• My assistant always says to be a goldfish and when they make a mistake to just forget it and go to the next play and I think that's exactly what they did. 
On how much the coaches and players feed off the energy from the crowd
• We're a big energy team. Whenever we have the energy, whenever we're up, you can't stop us. When we have the crowd to add on to that it's amazing. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court will look to keep the energy up as they stop back into conference play Wednesday, Oct. 2 on the road at Goldey-Beacom. First serve is set for 7 p.m.