VILLANOVA, Pa. -- The Penn volleyball team built an eight-point lead over Villanova in the first game Tuesday only to lose the last seven points of the game and lose 31-29.
After that deflating loss, the Quakers simply could not regroup, losing 3-0 and dropping their third straight match of the weekend.
Penn entered the Nevin Fieldhouse already reeling from the weekend's action. They had lost on back-to-back nights at Columbia and Cornell, perhaps losing their shot at an Ivy title in the process.
Additionally, senior captain and middle hitter Michelle Kauffman tore her ACL at Columbia and may be done for the season.
"I think it's difficult when a big role player [is lost]," senior captain Cara Thomason said. She added that Kauffman is "someone, aside from a high skill level, who adds something emotionally and intellectually."
Penn lost the three games to the Wildcats by scores of 31-29, 30-25, and 30-24. During the second game, it looked as if the Quakers (6-10, 3-2 Ivy) could rebound from the first game when they were down 25-24. However, Villanova (17-5, 5-2 Big East) went on to win five of the final six points.
The team never seemed to be in charge or in striking distance in the third game, as it was plagued by mistakes.
The Quakers did not simply fall apart; they were facing a tough opponent in Villanova. Adrian Semrau -- a 6-foot-4 junior who had 19 kills -- led Villanova's attack. In fact, three Wildcats hitters combined for 44 kills while the entire Penn team had only 33.
Coach Kerry Carr was disappointed even though this was a non-league match.
"We approach it like we approach any game," Carr said. "We were effective on a lot of their offense, we dropped off in the end." She added that the Villanova team is a lot like this weekend's opponent, Yale. "If we draw an extra inch from every person, we win."
