Sept. 5, 2003

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team made a triumphant debut in Memorial Gym with a 3-0 (30-26, 30-23, 30-24) victory over Liberty Friday evening (September 5) in the second match of the Jefferson Cup. George Mason took the first match of the tournament with a 3-0 (30-20, 30-25, 30-23) win over Campbell. With the victory, UVa improves to 5-0 on the season with all five wins by identical 3-0 scores.

The Cavaliers played their home matches in University Hall the last four years, but return to their former home court - a refurbished Mem Gym this season. Fourth-year outside hitter Paige Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) helped Virginia win its first home match of the 2003 season by netting 11 kills, including the 1,000th of her career in the win over Liberty. Davis becomes the eighth UVa player to reach the 1,00 career kill plateau. First-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Rosharon, Texas/Elkins) tallied career-highs of 11 kills and nine digs. She hit .421 in the match, while third-year middle Alexis Geocaris (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) hit a team-high .444 with nine kills and 13 points. Geocaris also added four blocks, three digs and two service aces. Fourth-year middle Shannon Boyle (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) led the team with five blocks and added nine kills.

First-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) recorded UVa's first double-double of the year with 25 assists and 11 digs, while classmate Kathleen Branagh (Lafayette, Calif./Campolindo) handed out 17 assists. Fourth-year All-ACC libero Whitney Ashcraft (Yorktown, Ind./Burris) recorded a match-high 17 digs with second-year outside hitter Kristin Chaney (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) adding 10 defensive saves.

Jennifer Belk notched a double-double for Liberty (0-4) with 14 kills and 13 digs. Becky Rudnick contributed 10 kills and five blocks. Setter Kristin Colson handed out 26 assists and added seven digs and three kills, while setter Kate Smith registered 13 assists, all in the third game.

In the first match of the tournament, George Mason (2-3) posted a 3-0 (30-20, 30-25, 30-23) victory over Campbell (0-4) with Aline Pereira pacing the Patriots with 12 kills, seven digs and three service aces. Milena Racic tallied a match-high 13 digs to go along with seven kills. Setter Jesica Umansky dished a match-best 24 assists. Che Cochrane led Campbell with nine kills and nine digs with setter Crystal Hoffman tallying 18 assists and seven digs.

The Jefferson Cup Volleyball Tournament concludes Saturday (September 6) with four matches at Memorial Gym. UVa hosts Campbell at 10:00 a.m. with Liberty and George Mason squaring off at noon. In the evening session, Liberty takes on Campbell at 5:00 p.m. with Virginia playing George Mason at 7:00 p.m.