GCU Athletics

CALDWELL, NJ (Sept. 26, 2026) - With a Nor'easter slamming into the Northeast this weekend, Saturday wasn't the best day to begin a three-game road trip. But Georgian Court Volleyball pressed on, starting their road trip in Caldwell against the Cougars. For those fans who battled the storm, they were treated to an intense five-set match that saw Georgian Court comeback, but ultimately fall short, 3-2.

How it Happened
• Most of the numbers were pretty equal with the Lions hitting .206 and the Cougars .202
• Georgian Court hit eight more kills, 65-57, but also seven more attack errors, 31-24.
• One game after allowing 18 service aces in three sets, GCU did much better on the receive as the Cougars scored just two aces. Georgian Court hit five but also 11 service errors.
• Caldwell had a big advantage at the net with 13.5 blocks to the Lions four. 
• In the back row, GCU picked up 76 digs. Caldwell finished with 63.
Set 1
• Caldwell stepped out of the rain and into the gym ready to play while the Lions were still drying off. The Cougars started the match scoring seven of the first eight points to put the Lions in an early hole.
• Georgian Court never recovered and couldn't get closer than five the rest of the way.
• The Cougars hit .306 for the set with 15 kills and three blocks in a 25-19 set win. 
Set 2
• After Caldwell's fast start in set one, it was the Lions turn in set two. They took a 4-0 lead landing three kills and an ace.
• That lead didn't last long though as the Cougars answered by scoring seven straight to take a 7-4 lead of their own.
• Caldwell maintained a small lead until Ava Churnesky hit consecutive kills to tie the set and take the lead, 14-13. 
• The Lions extended their lead to 18-15, but couldn't put Caldwell away easily. The Cougars scored five straight and were back on top, 20-18.
• Still down two, 21-19, Georgian Court rallied with three straight points.
• Caldwell tied the score again at 22, but kills from Roshell Chevres Sanchez and Churnesky, plus a Cougar attack error, tied the match up with one win each.
Set 3
• The important third set was just as advertised.
• Caldwell took an early lead and looked like they might cruise to a 2-1 match advantage.
• The Cougars were doubling up the Lions, 12-6, following a three-point run. 
• Georgian Court got the lead back down to two, but Caldwell pushed it back to six and were on the verge of a set win at 23-17.
• The Lions responded by scoring seven of eight and tying the set at 24-24. Back-to-back Cougar errors at set point helped keep the Lions alive.
• The teams were trading points with the score continuing to be tied all the way until 29-29. 
• Georgian Court staved off set-point twice, but couldn't do so a third time as the Cougars got two kills and a Lion error to finish the set scoring three straight and hang on, 31-29.
Set 4
• Caldwell must have left everything they had on the court in that third set because the fourth was all Georgian Court.
• The Lions took an early 5-1 lead and never looked back making it a laugher, 25-11.
• GCU could not miss hitting .737 for the set with 15 kills and one error while the Cougars were in the negative at -.045.
Set 5
• Today's match set out to prove that momentum stopped as soon as a set ends.
• After it seemed like Georgian Court could do no wrong and Caldwell could get nothing going in set four, that script completely flipped in set five.
• The Cougars came out and scored the first six points in the fifth and final set.
• Georgian Court never recovered from that and only once scored back-to-back points. 
• GCU hit just three kills and five errors and Caldwell won set five and the match going away, 15-6.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Georgian Court fed the ball to Keira Mullen who finished with a game-high 25 kills on 60 attempts to go along with 18 digs.
• Ava Churnesky added 14 kills and six digs.
• Flavia Pecora hit .300 with 10 kills along with seven digs.
• Roshell Chevres Sanchez played a full rotation at setter and passed out 50 assists while also scoring four kills and picking up 12 digs.
• Carmen Rivera Colon helped out with 12 digs and five assists.
• Emily Mundaray added 11 digs.

For the Cougars
• Marley Rudolph totaled 18 kills with 12 digs.
• Meredith Gatz hit 10 kills with seven blocks.
• Sarah Ojo helped put back nine blocks and landed six kills.
• Olivia Oakley had a game-high 22 digs.
• Grace Moliterno led the Cougars with 24 assists. 

News and Notes
• The last time a set featuring Georgian Court went to at least 30 points was during the 2019 season.
• Roshell Chevres Sanchez's 50 assists are by far a season-best. The last time a Lion recorded 50 or more assists in a match was Dayna Diaz, October 28, 2023 against Felician when she had 52. 
• Caldwell's win snaps a three-game GCU winning streak in the all-time series. The Cougars last win over the Lions came in 2022, also in Caldwell.
• Georgian Court's 65 kills are their most in a match this season. The .206 attack percentage is also their highest in a loss this year. 
• The last time GCU had more than 65 kills in a match was at Mercy way back November 1, 2018 when they landed 66.
• Keira Mullen's 25 kills are a season-best for any Lion this season. She also surpassed 100 on the year. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court continues their road trip heading to Delaware to take on Goldey-Beacom Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 6 pm.