Firebirds Blow By Washington Adventist, 3-0

TAKOMA PARK, MD – The University of the District of Columbia volleyball team blew by crosstown rival Washington Adventist, 3-0 by scores of 25-12, 25-13 and 25-13 in non-conference action Thursday night at The Pitt.

The Firebirds (7-8) were led offensively by sophomore Ariana Scott (Business – Lakewood, CA/Mayfair HS), who swatted a match-high 11 kills and hit a whopping .600 pct. Junior Tara Usko also helped lead the charge with seven kills. Sophomore Kamene Rose (Psychology – Chula Vista, CA/Hilltop HS) directed the offense with 27 assists while also adding a solo block.

Coming in ranked 10^th in the nation for aces per set, District of Columbia served up 14 aces on this night, with junior Julia Lynch (Studio Art – Spring Creek, NV/Spring Creek HS) and senior Vanessa Garley (Marketing – Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho HS) combining for 11.

Washington Adventist was led by Katrina Moore with four kills and Rachael Nutter with five digs. The Shock fell to 1-5 with the loss.

The Firebirds fell behind, 3-1 on a service ace by Moore, but two unforced Shock errors and the first of Garley's five service aces put District of Columbia ahead, 4-3. After a 4-4 tie, Usko's kill put the Firebirds ahead to stay. Leading 16-11, the Firebirds closed out the set on a 9-1 run helped by a Garley service ace and kill and two kills by Scott.

WAU earned the first point of the second set on a Firebird attach error, but turned the serve right back over on a service error. Lynch then served for five straight points, including three aces, to give District of Columbia a quick, 6-1 lead and force a Shock timeout. The Firebirds never let off the gas pedal as they opened up a 19-4 advantage on the strength of five service aces (three by Garley). District of Columbia maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way as they won easily, 25-13.

In set three, Washington Adventist jumped out to a 4-1 lead after a service ace by Alejandra Campos, but the Firebirds answered with a 5-1 run to move in front, 6-5. After three more ties, Garley put District of Columbia ahead to stay, 9-8 with a kill. Leading just 11-10 after two consecutive kills by Moore, the Firebirds put the set out of reach with a 12-0 run highlighted by a pair of kills each by Garley, Scott and freshman Cherakye Lopez (Business Management – Lynchburg, VA/Timberlake Christian School) and the final two service aces of Lynch's game-high six. Freshman Jazmin Rogers (Mechanical Engineering – Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde HS) finished off the set and the match with a kill.

The Firebirds enter back into East Coast Conference play as they visit conference newcomer Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday, October 6^th at 1:00 p.m.