GCU Athletics

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sept. 15, 2026) - Georgian Court Volleyball opened up conference play Tuesday night playing at perennial power, Jefferson. GCU was able to come-from-behind for a thrilling set one win, but that was the only set the Lions took in a 3-1 loss to the Rams.

How it Happened
• Jefferson hit .229 for the match with 51 kills. The Lions weren't far behind with 45 kills, but hit 28 errors and .122 for the match.
• The Rams landed four more aces than the Lions, 12-8, but also hit two more errors, 10-8, for a +2 on the service line.
• Georgian Court's defense more than held their own, picking up 65 digs, four more than the Rams. Jefferson put back seven blocks and the Lions six.
Set 1
• Jefferson scored the first point in the set and led all the way until GCU took their first lead, 25-24.
• Along the way, Jefferson opened up an 11-point lead, 20-9, and were well on their way to a set one win. 
• That is until they weren't. A Flavia Pecora kill began a 14-3 GCU run that saw Georgian Court come all the way back to tie the set at 23. Keira Mullen and Kyla Davis combined for the game-tying block.
• Another block, this time from Mullen and Pecora, gave GCU their first lead, 25-24.
• After Jefferson retook a 26-25 lead, the Lions scored three straight, with Roshell Chevres Sanchez landing an ace to end the set, 28-26 Georgian Court. 
• The Lions outscored the Rams 19-6 after getting down by 11 in the set one comeback win.
Set 2
• Early on with the score tied at five, Jefferson used a 4-0 run to take their largest lead to that point, 9-5.
• For most of the middle part of the set, the Rams were unable to extend that lead and GCU even got back to within one, 15-14.
• On two separate occasions, the Rams scored four straight down the stretch, including the final four points, getting a service ace of their own to even the match at one.
• The Georgian Court offense hit .000 for the match with six kills and six errors.
Set 3
• The critical third set lived up to it's billing. There were nine tie scores throughout the tight set.
• In the middle of the set, the score was tied at every point from 6-11.
• Clinging to a one-point lead, 14-13, Jefferson went on a 5-1 run to take their largest lead, 19-14.
• But just like set one, the Lions didn't quit. They used a 5-1 run of their own to once again make it a one-point game, 20-19.
• Jefferson was prepared though after collapsing in set one. Maintaining a small lead, the Rams put the Lions away on their first chance at set-point, with the added benefit of a Lion attack error, 25-23, to take a 2-1 lead.
Set 4
• Georgian Court had an early lead and needed a win to force a fifth set.
• It quickly disappeared though as the Rams scored five of six to take a 9-5 lead.
• The Lions hung around long enough and made their move. Trailing 19-13, the Lions used a 6-1 run to get right back to within one point, 20-19.
• That was the last point the Lions scored though. Jefferson scored the final five points and took the match with a 25-19 set four win.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Keira Mullen led the Lions in kills with 11 and picked up 13 digs with three blocks and three aces.
• Flavia Pecora hit .438 with seven kills on 16 attempts without an error.
• Ava Churnesky totaled eight kills and nine digs.
• Roshell Chevres Sanchez passed out a team-best 20 assists.
• Carmen Rivera Colon led the defense with 16 digs.

For the Rams
• Emily McKenna landed a game-best 19 kills with 12 digs.
• Pemi Areola added nine kills and four blocks.
• Kate Hines scooped up a game-high 20 digs.
• Lyllah Sapp passed out 43 assists with two service aces and four digs.
• Alexa Mork landed four aces.

News and Notes
• Carmen Rivera Colon became the third Lion to ever record 1,300 career digs.
• Jefferson takes a one-game lead in the all-time series, breaking a 23-23 tie.
• It's been an interesting start to the season for the Lions who had a three-game winning streak sandwiched between a pair of four-game losing streaks. 
• Georgian Court's 28 attack errors are their most in a four-set match this season.

Up Next
• Georgian Court will look to get back in the win column with a nonconference game Thursday, Sept, 17 at Queens.