NOVA’s women’s volleyball team lost its return match to a strong West Potomac State College Catamounts team on Monday evening, Oct. 19 at Annandale’s Ernst Gym, losing all three games.

The Catamounts, whose two year college is located in Keyser, West Virginia and is part of West Virginia University, were not imposing physically. However, they had a number of players who were adept at smashing the ball at the net, making digs and serving. They are a team that just won the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championship. They arrived a bit late for the game, probably due to the DC rush hour.
The first game went to West Potomac State 25-18. The second game was close initially at 5-5, but then West Potomac State pulled away to a 25-13 win.

In the third game, NOVA kept the early score close at 5-6, but then Potomac pulled away to a 12-7 lead. NOVA surged back this time, making six straight points to take a 13-12 lead. From there the score bounced back and forth as NOVA was battling hard for a win. NOVA scored to make it 19-19, but from there Potomac State, despite a NOVA timeout, scored five straight for a 24-19 lead. NOVA then came back to life briefly, fending off the deciding point, but finally succumbed 25-21.

Though NOVA lost all three games, they almost won one game and played better than in the match at Potomac State last week, where they only scored 9, 13, and 14 points in the three games.

With the win, Potomac State’s glittering record improved to 20-1, while NOVA fell 5-9.

Two weekends ago, NOVA had participated in an enjoyable tournament, as related by assistant coach Becki Gaston, at Hagerstown Community College in which they won one out of six matches.

NOVA’s volleyball team concludes its season with two road games. The first was a return match versus Harford Community College in Bel Air, Md. on Oct. 21, and the final match was to be scheduled for Oct. 28 at Montgomery Community College at 6 pm in Rockville.

By: Arch Scurlock

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