Upset-minded Firebirds Volleyball Falls Short, 3-1 at NYIT

OLD WESTBURY, NY – The upset-minded University of the District of Columbia volleyball team took the first set from perennial East Coast Conference power NYIT, 25-18, but allowed the Bears to come charging back to win three straight sets as they fell by a 3-1 verdict on Thursday night.

The Firebirds, who had never taken a set in three previous meetings with NYIT since joining the ECC, fell to 8-12 overall and 3-7 in league play. NYIT, who has won five of its last six, improved to 14-5 overall and 6-2 in the ECC to remain locked in a tie with Roberts Wesleyan for second place in the league standings.

District of Columbia was led by senior Vanessa Garley (Marketing – Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho HS)  with a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs as well as three blocks. Sophomore Kamene Rose (Psychology – Chula Vista, CA/Hilltop HS) also had a double-double of 24 assists and 14 digs as well as two blocks (one solo). Freshman Jazmin Rogers (Mechanical Engineering – Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde HS) also pitched in with eight kills, 10 digs and five blocks (one solo).

NYIT had three players in double-figures for kills, led by Savannah Donarski's 16 kills (.244 hitting) and three blocks. Katarina Sretenovic and Shelby Cable added 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Also, Kelly Brown and Kate Brock combined for 15 of the Bears 16 kills on the night.

In the first set, the Firebirds broke a 10-10 deadlock with an emphatic 10-2 run led by two Garley kills and culminating in a kill by sophomore Ariana Scott (Business - Lakewood, CA/Mayfair HS) to give District of Columbia a 20-12 advantage. Sretenovic served two aces to help NYIT on a 6-0 run to pull within two (20-18), but the Firebirds regrouped to finish off the set on a 5-0 run. The 25-18 set one win gave District of Columbia a 1-0 match lead.

A determined Bears team jumped out to an 8-2 lead in set two, but the Firebirds fought their way back by scoring eight of the next 11 points to pull within one, 11-10. Junior Tara Usko (History – Spring Creek, NV/Spring Creek HS) had two kills during that 8-3 District of Columbia rally. After the two teams traded points, NYIT scored three consecutive points to take a more comfortable, 15-11 lead. The Firebirds clawed their way back within two on three separate occasions, including a 19-17 score after an Usko service ace. But three straight Firebird attack errors helped NYIT on a 4-0 run to take control of the set, 23-17, and the Bears went on to even the match with a 25-20 win in set two.

Rogers had two kills to help the Firebirds claim an early 8-7 lead, but the Bears went on an 11-2 charge led by Donarski's three kills, and the host's took a commanding 18-10 lead. The Firebirds never got within seven points in the set, as NYIT won by its largest margin, 25-14.

In the fourth set, the Bears charged out to a 10-4 start and never looked back. They led by as many as eight and never let District of Columbia within four. NYIT closed out the set and the match on a 3-0 run to win 25-17.