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Sept. 3, 2002

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team dropped the first game to in-state rival James Madison, but rebounded to win the next three games for a 3-1 (24-30, 31-29, 30-25, 30-28) victory Tuesday night (September 3) at University Hall. With the win, the Cavaliers even their record to 2-2 on the season, while the Dukes fall to 1-3.

Second-year outside hitter Celeste Laborde (New Orleans, La./Academy of the Sacred Heart) paced the Cavalier offense with 11 kills and added two key service aces in the fourth game to help Virginia clinch the victory. Third-year rightside hitter Katie Synan (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) and fourth-year middle Simona Kuipers (Bow Island, Alberta, Canada/Senator Gershaw) had nine kills apiece. Synan added two blocks and Kuipers tallied three. Second-year setter Lily Phillips (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon) recorded her second double-double of the season with 41 assists and a team-high tying 14 digs. Third-year outside hitter Paige Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) and third-year libero Whitney Ashcraft (Yorktown, Ind./Burris) also registered 14 digs. Third-year middle Shannon Boyle (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) hit a team-high .462 with seven kills.

James Madison’s Larissa Winkler tallied a match-high 18 kills and added 17 digs and five blocks. Jessica Evers (Charlottesville, Va./Albemarle) notched 16 kills and a match-high 18 digs. Setter Krysta Cannon dished out 51 assists and added seven kills.

After losing the first game 30-24, UVa came from behind to even the match at one game apiece with a 31-29 victory in game two. Trailing 29-28, UVa second-year middle Alexis Geocaris (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) drilled back-to-back kills to give the Cavaliers a 30-29 advantage. Synan closed out the game with a service ace. The third game was close throughout, but Virginia prevailed 30-25. First-year outside hitter Kristin Chaney (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) served for three consecutive points, including an ace, to push the UVa lead to 29-24. Boyle closed out the game with a kill. In the fourth and deciding game, the Cavaliers trailed by as many as five points (11-16), but battled back to tie the match at 20-20 on a kill by Davis. UVa took the lead for good, 27-26, on a Boyle kill. Back-to-back service aces by Laborde stretched Virginia’s advantage to 29-26. After kills by JMU’s Cannon and Winkler narrowed the Cavalier advantage to 29-28, Boyle provided the game clinching kill to make the final score of game four 30-28.

The Dukes lost despite holding a 66-51 edge in kills and an 83-59 advantage in digs. UVa held an 8-1 advantage in service aces.

Virginia returns to action on Friday and Saturday, September 6-7 when it hosts the College of Charleston, Georgetown and William & Mary in the Fairfield Inn Jefferson Cup Volleyball Tournament at University Hall. The Cavaliers open play in the tournament on Friday at 7:00 p.m. against the College of Charleston.

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