VILLANOVA, Pa. – Butler won the first two sets against Villanova on Saturday night but the Wildcats would storm back to win the match 3-2 (25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 17-25, 13-15). The Bulldogs are now 13-14 overall with a 7-8 record in the BIG EAST.
 
Cora Taylor posted great numbers across the box score at Villanova with 41 assists, 12 digs, a team-best four aces and three kills. The offense had three student-athletes reach a double figure kill total and Jaymeson Kinley would lead the defensive effort with 23 digs.
 
Mariah Grunze led BU with 15 kills. She hit .143 and posted eight digs. Amina Shackelford and Megan Sheridan were also heavily involved in the BU attack. Shackelford had 14 kills on 51 swings and gave Butler 12 digs and five blocks. Sheridan had the best attack percentage on the team Saturday night. She had 13 kills on just 27 attempts (.370).
 
Villanova also had a balanced attack. Tara Garvey led the Wildcats with 15 kills. Kiera Booth was efficient with 14 kills on just 28 swings and Rose Crist joined the party with 13 kills.
 
Belle Morgan had a double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs. Nova's dig leader was Elizabeth Feczko with 23.
 
Butler was down 6-0 at the start of the first set but would climb back into the action at 17-17. Three-straight points down the stretch made the game 24-20 and Marisa Guisti would connect on the set-winner off the feed from Taylor to put BU in front 1-0.
 
Set two was more of the same as the Wildcats came out with a 5-1 lead. Butler tied the set quickly at 6-6 and the two evenly matched teams would go back and forth the rest of the way. Butler broke a 20-20 tie with a kill from Sheridan and Nova attack errors in crunch time would help BU go out in front 2-0.
 
Nova's quick start in the third set would hold the entire way. They doubled Butler up at 8-4 and enjoyed a 20-11 lead after a kill from Garvey. Crist would lead the charge to avoid the sweep with six kills in the third and the Wildcats would hang around with the 25-19 win.
 
BU never led in the fourth set as Nova opened up a 7-2 lead. Butler fought back to get within three at 13-10, but a 4-0 run pushed the home team back in front 17-10. That lead proved to be too much and Butler would try to regroup for the fifth set.
 
Nova hit their stride in the fifth set to complete the comeback win. The Wildcats hit .375 and claimed the win behind four kills from Booth. Nova led 10-7 and 14-11 before Butler attempted the late comeback. Shackelford made the score 14-13 with her 14th kill of the night, but Crist ended the match moments later after a Nova timeout.
 
Butler will play again tomorrow with a 1 PM start at Georgetown.