VCU SHOCKS TOWSON IN CAA QUARTERS, 3-1; MEETS JMU SATURDAY
11-17-06
Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Virginia Commonwealth University outside hitters Ludmila Francescatto (Fraiburga, Brazil) and Ana Luiza Bernardes de Borja (Florianopolis, Brazil) combined for 43 kills and 26 digs and proved clutch down the stretch to lead the No. 6 Rams’ upset of No. 3 Towson, 3-1 (30-26, 28-30, 31-29, 30-36) Friday night in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament quarterfinals at Hofstra University’s Physical Fitness Center.

VCU’s victory advances the defending CAA champions into the semifinal round, where it will meet No. 2 seed James Madison at 4:30 p.m. The Rams dropped a pair of 3-2 thrillers to the Dukes this season. Sixth-seeded VCU ties the 1989 James Madison squad, which won two matches that year, as the lowest seed to ever win a CAA Tournament match.

The match appeared headed to a fifth and deciding game when Towson ripped open a 21-12 lead midway through Game Four. However, the Black and Gold closed with an 18-5 blitz behind four kills from de Borja and three from Francescatto. After Francescatto cut the Tiger lead to 25-24 with a kill, VCU knotted the match with a TU attack error. The two teams traded points to make it 26-26, but then VCU took over, getting two kills from de Borja, including the match-clincher.

“I think the girls showed a lot of character being down and coming back,” said VCU Head Coach James Finley. “With all struggles this year it’s a great win to get us moving. The girls are excited, but they won’t be satisfied until we win through the weekend.”

De Borja finished with a match-high 22 kills and 10 digs, while Francescatto added 21 kills, 16 digs and three of VCU’s five service aces.

Freshman Ivana Rich (Cumberland, Va.) (pictured), making her first collegiate start for the injured Renata Salvatori (Londrina, Brazil), provided a boost for the Rams with eight total blocks (one solo) and five kills. Rich had previously appeared in 19 games this season, registering one block. Additionally, senior middle blocker Melissa Peterson (Ganado, Ariz.) hit .444 with 14 kills and sophomore setter Cat Juson (Long Beach, Calif.) had 53 assists and 14 digs for the Rams.

The Black and Gold out hit Towson in the match, .260-.177 and held a 76-69 advantage in digs.

Ally Perko led Towson with 17 kills, while Alysha Fanning contributed six blocks.

VCU came out firing on all cylinders, hitting .375 on the way to a 30-26 win in Game One. Francescatto and de Borja led the way with seven and six kills, respectively. Things hit a snag late in the second frame for the Rams when Towson ripped off the last eight points to even the score at 1-1.

However, the Rams survived a late charge in Game Three, overcoming a 28-26 deficit in a 31-29 triumph. Facing game point at 29-28, de Borja sandwiched two kills around one from Peterson to clinch 2-1 match lead.


Notes: Friday’s contest was a rematch of last year’s CAA Tournament Championship, won, 3-2 by VCU… Rams’ senior Ludmila Francescatto moved into sole possession of second place on the VCU’s single-season kills list with 478. She trails only Jonnie Stone, who had 513 in 1990, for the school record… Ana Luiza Bernardes de Borja also vaulted up to third on the same list. She now has 423 kills this season… Fifth-seeded Delaware won Friday’s other quarterfinal match, 3-0 over Northeastern. It marks the first time since 1989 that both the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds won a CAA Tournament match.