HOFSTRA TOPS VCU, 3-0, FOR CAA CHAMPIONSHIP
11-19-06
Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Virginia Commonwealth University senior Melissa Peterson (Ganado, Ariz.) and sophomore Ana Luiza Bernardes de Borja (Florianoplis, Brazil) (pictured) combined for 23 kills and 12 digs, but it wasn’t enough to slow tournament MVP Shellane Ogoshi and Hofstra as the Pride won their first Colonial Athletic Association title with a 3-0 (32-30, 30-23, 30-22) victory Sunday at the Physical Fitness Center.

With the win, the top-seeded Pride (23-6) earned the conference’s automatic NCAA bid, Hofstra’s first since 2000 when it was a member of the America East Conference. VCU, which was just the second No. 6 seed to play in the CAA title match, drops to 16-15 with the loss.

Peterson earned a spot on the all-tournament team for the second straight year. She had 10 kills and five blocks Sunday and hit .384 with 3.25 kills and 0.83 blocks per game for the tournament. Bernardes de Borja ripped 13 kills Sunday and led the Rams in the three matches over the weekend with her 4.58 kills per game average.

Ogoshi tormented the Black and Gold in championship match, handing out 46 assists, an average of 15.33 per game, and dropping in eight timely kills. Beverly Rivera was nearly unstoppable for Hofstra, hamming 19 kills on a .552 hitting percentage. She added 10 digs.

VCU got seven kills from senior outside hitter Ludmila Francescatto (Fraiburga, Brazil) in Game One, helping the Rams pull even at 30-30 in the contest. However, the Rams were ultimately undone by two errors, giving the 32-30 win to the Pride. Hofstra never looked back, hitting .403 for the match, including a robust .556 in the third game.

Francescatto finished with 12 kills and four service aces on the day. She also reached a personal milestone in the match, becoming just the second player in VCU history to surpass 500 kills in a season. She now has 510, trailing Jonnie Stone by three for the Rams single-season record.

VCU closes its season at the Long Beach State University Invitational Nov. 24-25. The Rams take on host LBSU Friday, Nov. 24 at 10:30 p.m. EST.