Sept. 30, 2006

Box Score

WASHINGTON - Behind a 24 kill performance from Rubena Sukaj (Tirana, Albania/Asim Vokshi) and Chelsa Brooks' (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) 16 kills, the American University women's volleyball team handed the Army Black Knights their first Patriot League loss of the 2006 season, 3-1. The Eagles dropped the first game 27-30, but won out 30-26, 30-23 and 30-26 for their fifth straight victory.

"We had a slow start, but remained patient and kept pounding the ball at them," head coach Barry Goldberg said after the match. "Eventually that aggressiveness and a better defensive effort led us to the win."

American never got settled in the first game as the Black Knights used a solid right side attack to run to the 30-27 win. In between the second and third games, the Eagles upped their defense by switching Tara Stradling (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) to libero and moving multi-talented freshman Ivana Cebakova (Brno, Czech Republic/Ludvika Danka) into the normal rotation. That switch, combined with a strong attack from Brooks and Sukaj helped American stave off Army's efforts, especially in the fourth game when they team came from an 18-13 deficit for the victory.

Brooks (who also hit .464 for the match), Sukaj and Elizabeth Maloney (Toronto, Ontario/Richview C.I.) all registered double-digit kills in the win. Cebakova had a match-high 16 digs to go along with six kills at a .400 hitting percentage. Setters Christina Nash (Princeton, Fla./Coral Reef) and Maile Krauss (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) combined for 54 assists in setting American's attack, which hit .262 for the match and over .400 in the final game.

American continues its Patriot League schedule next week, hosting Navy on Thursday and non-conference foe UMES Friday, both at 7 p.m.