Temple University Athletics
Temple University
9-3
Hofstra
9-5
Volleyball Finishes as Runner-Up at Temple Invitational After Falling in Four Sets to Hofstra
9.21.13 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA - On the final day of their own Temple Invitational, the Owls split matches, sweeping Brown before falling to tournament champ Hofstra, 3-1. Senior Gabriella Matautia and sophomore Sandra Sydlik were both named to the All-Tournament Team for the Owls (9-3).
Against Hofstra (9-5), the Owls won the first set, 25-22, but lost the next three by scores of 25-21, 25-16 and 25-16. Tyler Davis knocked down a team-high 11 kills, while Matautia added 10. Libero Alyssa Drachslin recorded a team-best 12 digs, and Sydlik added seven digs to a match-best 30 assists.
"We played great in the first set," said Temple head coach Bakeer Ganes, "but after that we didn't pass the ball very well and we couldn't execute on the offense and couldn't put the ball down. That really killed us. I thought in the first set we did a good job changing up the speed of the offense, but in the second and especially the fourth set, we really didn't do that."
Earlier in the day, Temple defeated Brown by scores of 25-18, 25-23 and 25-21. Matautia was a force for the Owls with a double-double of 18 kills and 13 digs in just three sets. She committed only two attack errors for a match-best hitting percentage of .471.
Temple led for most of the first set against Hofstra, but only by a slim margin. The second tie came at 20-20, but back-to-back kills from Alex Schmitt and Davis put the Owls back in the lead. With set point at 24-22, Matautia ended the set in Temple's favor with a kill.
The second set was a tight one early on with seven ties and three lead changes, but once the Pride pulled ahead, the Owls were unable to catch up. They narrowed a six-point deficit down to three at 23-20, but ultimately fell by a score of 25-21.
Hofstra got five kills apiece from Emily Burke and Kelsie Wills in a strong third set which the Pride won, 25-16. The Owls put up five blocks in the fourth set but still could not overcome a strong set by Hofstra.
Next up for Temple is the beginning of the American Athletic Conference schedule. The Owls will travel to Cincinnati and Louisville next weekend for their first two conference matches.
Temple Invitational All-Tournament Team
Kelsie Wills, Hofstra (MVP)
Nuria Lopes da Silva, Hofstra
Sophia Black, Hofstra
Gabriella Matautia, Temple
Sandra Sydlik, Temple
Payton Smith, Brown
Jessica Russell-Croucher, Delaware
Hofstra won the team championship in a tie-breaker. Three teams finished 2-1.
