September 4, 2004
Shorewomen Win PBU Invitational
Best Start for Washington in 26 Years

LANGHORNE, PA -- The Washington College volleyball team went 3-0 and claimed the tournament championship at today's Philadelphia Biblical Invitational in Langhorne, PA. The Shorewomen downed Rosemont, 30-14, 30-17, 30-23, and Alvernia, 30-28, 31-29, 19-30, 26-30, 18-16, in pool play, and then defeated Cabrini, 30-22, 24-30, 29-31, 30-25, 15-7, in the championship match. Washington is now 4-0 on the season, the best start for the Shorewomen since winning the first eight matches of the 1978 campaign, their third varsity season.

Match Scores
Washington College 3, Rosemont 0 (30-14, 30-17, 30-23) STATS
Washington College 3, Alvernia 2 (30-28, 31-29, 19-30, 26-30, 18-16) STATS
Washington College 3, Cabrini 2 (30-22, 24-30, 29-31, 30-25, 15-7) STATS

The Shorewomen cruised past Rosemont, 30-14, 30-17, 30-23, in their first match of the tournament. The 3-0 final gave Washington, which beat Mary Washington in three games on Wednesday, the first-ever back-to-back three-game sweeps in the 29-season history of the program. Sophomore outside hitter Nanna Kozemchak (Falls Church, VA/St. Stephen's & St. Agnes) pounded down six kills and led the team in service aces (four), digs (seven), and block solos (four), and block assists (three) in the match. Junior outside hitter Abigail Benson (New London, PA/Avon Grove) contributed a team-high eight kills and five digs, while sophomore setter Laura Shand (Sykesville, MD/Liberty) had a team-best 25 assists. Washington recorded 17 service aces in the three-game match.

Washington outlasted Alvernia, 30-28, 31-29, 19-30, 26-30, 18-16, to finish unbeaten in pool play and earn a spot in the championship match. Shand recorded team-highs of 36 assists, 23 digs, three block solos, and seven block assists in the win. Junior middle hitter Marcie McConville (Westminster, MD/Westminster) tied Shand for the team lead in block assists with seven and added a pair of block solos and nine kills. Benson led the team in kills with 13 and tallied 18 digs, while Kozemchak contributed eight kills, two block solos, four block assists, and a team-high five aces. Senior outside hitter Laura Greenback (Riva, MD/South River) finished with 11 kills and 11 digs in the victory.

In the championship match, the Shorewomen rallied from a 2-1 deficit to come away with a 30-22, 24-30, 29-31, 30-25, 15-7, win over Cabrini. Benson again led the team in kills, pounding down 14, and tied for the team lead in digs with 12. Shand tallied a team-best 32 assists, nine digs, and five kills, while junior outside hitter Lauren Ford (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) put down 10 kills. Greenback finished with eight kills and a team-high 12 digs, while Kozemchak tallied six kills and paced the team in blocks with three block solos and two block assists.

By winning his first four matches at the helm of the Shorewomen, first-year head coach Louie Richardson is off to the third-best start as the coach of a WAC women's athletics team in school history. Penny Fall won her first six matches as volleyball head coach in 1976, while Tom Finnegan went 5-0 in his first season as women's tennis head coach in 1975.

The Shorewomen, whose 4-0 start this season matches their win total from all of last year, return to action Tuesday with a 7:00 p.m. match at Goucher College.