WASHINGTON – The Billikens battled back to force a fifth set but fell to George Washington, 3-2, Saturday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Center.
SET 1 | SLU 25, GW 21
Saint Louis opened the match with a 4-2 lead before George Washington responded with a 7-0 run to take a 9-4 advantage. The Billikens battled back and eventually tied the set at 20-20. SLU closed the set strong, scoring five of the final six points to take the opening frame, 25-21.
SET 2 | GW 26, SLU 24
The Billikens started the second set with a 9-2 advantage, and continued that lead to 17-12. GW took a lead off five straight points to lead 20-18. The teams then traded points before the Revs scored three straight to take the set 26-24.
SET 3 | GW 25, SLU 18
George Washington took control early in the third set and maintained its advantage throughout the frame. The Billikens trimmed the deficit to five at 20-15, but GW closed the set on a 5-2 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET 4 | SLU 25, GW 22
The Billikens responded in the fourth set, opening with a 3-0 lead. GW pulled even at 7-7 and later took a 13-11 advantage before SLU answered with five straight points to regain the lead at 16-13. Saint Louis continued to hold the advantage late in the set and built a 24-19 lead. The Revs scored three straight to cut the deficit to two, but the Billikens closed it out 25-22 win and force a fifth set.
SET 5 | GW 15, SLU 12
George Washington jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the deciding set before the Billikens battled back. A
Kayla Jansen ace and a GW attack error helped SLU cut the deficit to 8-7.
The Billikens continued to fight, pulling within one at 11-10 on kills from Sparks and Rink. GW answered with two straight points, but SLU again cut the deficit to two at 14-12 following a GW attack error. The Revolutionaries closed out the match with the final point, taking the fifth set, 15-12.
NOTABLES
- Ellie Rink led the Billikens with 19 kills and added nine digs.
- J'La Sparks recorded her first career double-double with a career high 13 kills and 10 block assists.
- Jetta Brenning finished just shy of a triple-double with nine kills, 37 assists and 14 digs.
- Lara Zigic had her first career double-double with 15 digs and 11 assists
UP NEXT
The Billikens close out their month-long road stretch at Loyola Chicago on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
