The Georgetown volleyball team has had its ups and downs this season, notching thrilling wins and suffering heartbreaking defeats. And while sometimes they were outhit, outblocked or just outsized, they were rarely outhustled.
That’s why this team is so fun to watch. It’s sophomore outside hitter Lauren Saar pumping her fist after a momentum-changing kill. It’s the combination of freshmen Caitlin Brauneis and Ashlie Williams setting up hits. It’s sophomore Emily Gisolfi serving aces from so far off the line she’s almost outside the gym. It’s veterans Dani White, Alex Johnson and MacKenzie Simpson doing the hard work one game after another.
For one last game, they’ll do the same.
Tonight, Georgetown (10-18, 4-11 Big East) will face No. 12 Creighton (19-7, 10-4) in its final conference game of the 2013 season, hoping to snap a five-game losing streak and end the year on a high note.
When the Blue and Gray played host to Creighton earlier this month, they surprised the Blue Jays with a first set win, 25-18, and came close in each of the next three sets, only to fall 3-1.
“When we played Creighton here, we started out really strong, we served extremely tough and we know that we’ll have to do that [again],” Head Coach Arlisa Williams said.
The difference came down to the defenses, with the Blue Jays out-blocking the Hoyas 19-7 in their previous meeting.
“There are some areas that we have focused on this week with our blocking that I think will help us as well. Creighton is a great blocking team, so I think that’s an area [in which] we need to make sure we are closing the gap a little bit,” Williams said.
Over the weekend, Creighton lost to Seton Hall, a team that Georgetown defeated earlier this season. Depending on which team shows up in Nebraska, the Hoyas could scratch out a victory.
Georgetown’s inconsistency has resulted in some tough losses, and an emphasis on the details has been Williams’ mantra all season long.
“We’ve been in so many matches this year and have just come up short, so how do we fine-tune those things these last few days so that we can get a win this weekend?” Williams said.
After being picked last in the preseason Big East poll, the Hoyas started the season with something to prove. Now, with one game left, they’re ending it the same way.
Creighton will be Georgetown’s last opponent of the season, as the Blue and Gray did not qualify for the Big East tournament. But for the Hoyas, this game still bears significance.
“We have two practices left, and they’re still leaving it out on the floor every single practice. It’s just a work-hard team that is learning what it means to play with grit,” Williams said.
Grit was something the Hoyas never lacked, even against their toughest opponents, and it just might give them the boost over Creighton, who has secured its berth in the conference tournament and will have to face both Georgetown and Villanova this weekend, splitting their prep time.
“This team has a whole lot of heart. They really care about our program, and they will do everything that it takes to try to help us be successful,” Williams said.