LAKEWOOD, NJ (Oct. 4, 2025) - Georgian Court Volleyball got ahead of Bridgeport 1-0, but couldn't hold on and fell in five sets to the Purple Knights. The loss puts GCU at 1-3 in CACC play this season.

How it Happened
• Both teams were very evenly matched. The Lions hit .219 as a team and the Purple Knights .199.
• The Lions scored 78 total points to Bridgeport's 71. The Lions also led by two in kills, 61-59.
• Service was a struggle for both teams. The Purple Knights made 11 errors while landing just three aces. GCU hit 14 service errors while scoring six aces.
• On defense, GCU led in total blocks 11-9 while Bridgeport was ahead in digs 86-79.
• The net violation calls were out in full force as well. GCU was whistled for seven and Bridgeport three.

Set 1
• After GCU took a 6-5 lead in set one, they never trailed again.
• The Lions scored six straight at one point to turn a 12-10 lead into an 18-10 lead, helped out by three Purple Knight errors.
• Bridgeport never really got back into the set and the Lions took the opener 25-19. 
Set 2
• Georgian Court looked to carry their momentum from a set one win right into set two. The Lions jumped on top early, 5-2, getting two kills from Brooke Bowbliss and two from Ava Churnesky. 
• Bridgeport though responded quickly scoring six straight and taking an 8-5 lead.
• The Lions were able to cut the lead to two on multiple occasions, including 19-17, but the Purple Knights scored six of the final eight points and the last three to tie match 1-1.
Set 3
• Set three was the closest of them all featuring nine ties and four lead changes.
• Bridgeport scored the first three point before the Lions got going.
• Trailing by two, 8-6, GCU went on a 4-0 run to take a 10-8 lead.
• Bridgeport answered with three straight before the Lions rallied again scoring four of five and went ahead 14-12.
• The teams were trading points and the Lions had a late 22-19 lead following a block from Emma Gildea and Brooke Bowbliss.
• After that block, Bridgeport scored four straight to go up 23-22.
• Tied at 22, a kill and service ace for the Purple Knights gave them a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set 4
• GCU was determined to make a fifth set happen and left nothing to chance in set four.
• The Lions roared out to a 6-1 lead and never trailed.
• Georgian Court hit .412 for the set, getting six kills from Bowbliss as they rolled to a 25-14 win to force a fifth set.
Set 5
• The good feelings from set four quickly disappeared as Bridgeport opened the decisive fifth frame with three straight points.
• GCU chipped away scoring seven of the next 10 to grab their first lead, 7-6.
• Tied at eight, Hailey Jessen gave Bridgeport a 10-8 lead with consecutive kills.
• Neither team scored two points in a row the rest of the way, which meant Bridgeport was able to eek out a 15-13 set five win for the match.

Lion Stat Leaders
• It was quite the day for Brooke Bowliss who nearly finished with a triple-double. She had a team-best 19 kills with 16 assists, eight digs and six blocks. All while hitting .500.
• Ava Churnesky totaled 16 kills and 11 digs.
• Genesis Simanca chipped in 14 kills with 17 digs.
• Iciar Zayas passed out 29 assists with 11 digs.
• Carmen Rivera grabbed a game-high 26 digs with five service aces.
• Kyla Davis landed eight kills and five blocks. 

For the Purple Knights
• Hailey Jessen scored a match-high 23 kills with 11 digs.
• Madison Mohan added 12 kills.
• Camdyn Cieszkiewicz passed out 24 assists and Ava Casales 23.
• Elaine DeLallo scooped 22 digs.

News and Notes
• Brooke Bowbliss set a new career-high with her 19 kills. 
• Carmen Rivera moved to eighth all-time at GCU in career digs, now up to 921. She also became just the ninth Lion of the NCAA-era to record 900 or more digs.
• The Lions 11 team blocks are a new season-high, as are their 79 digs. 
• Georgian Court falls to 3-10 all-time against the Purple Knights.

Up Next
• Georgian Court finishes up their homestand Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 6 pm against Holy Family.