Championship Match - Friday, November 16
Saint Vincent College 3, University of Bridgeport 1 box score

Championship Game Recap

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The St. Vincent College Bearcats of Latrobe, PA rebounded from losing game one to a notch 3-1 victory (26-30, 30-24, 30-26, 30-28) over the host University of Bridgeport Purple Knights in the 2007 ECAC Division II Women's Volleyball Championship match played in Bridgeport, CT on Friday, November 16. 

The victory gives the Bearcats, under the direction of head coach Susan Hozak, their second consecutive ECAC Division II crown, as they swept Adelphi University in 2006. With the win, St. Vincent closes out the 2007 campaign with a 24-9 record, and with the loss, UB ends its season at 20-18.

After losing game one with a .159 hitting percentage, St. Vincent picked up its offensive tempo, as the Bearcats hit .316 in game two, .214 in game three and .310 in game four. In the fourth and final game, St. Vincent came back to win the game, 30-28, after trailing by scores of 9-3, 17-10 and 19-13.

Freshman, outside hitter Natalie Hozak (Mt. Pleasant., PA) led a balanced Bearcats' offensive attack with 15 kills. Natalie was joined in double figure kills by three other teammates, as junior Jamie Kelly (Warren, OH) had 13 kills and a team-high 13 digs, junior Anna Wasik (New Brighton, PA) also had 13 kills and freshman Diana Petrovich (Pittsburgh, PA) chipped in 12 kills.

Championship match Most Valuable Player, senior setter Kristin Hozak (Mt. Pleasant., PA) (pictured with ECAC Board Member Jay Moran) directed St. Vincent's offense with 46 assists, and she also had five kills without an error, three service aces, six digs and two block assists.

For Bridgeport, junior, outside hitter Britney Owens (Payson, AZ) led the team with 15 kills and hit .375 on the day. Owens was joined in double figure kills by junior Emma Ariyo (Kampala, Uganda) and freshman Ivana Kovacevic-Jurasin (Belgrade, Serbia) who each had 10 kills. Arriyo also had a match-best five service aces on the day.

Senior setter Maryanne Stafford (Auburn, CA) had 42 assists and a team high-13 digs for UB.

(Courtesy of University of Bridgeport Sports Information)