WASHINGTON (August 25, 2023) – Howard University volleyball won a battle, but lost the war to DC rival Georgetown, 3-1, Friday night to open the season and kickoff the annual DC Invitational.
Junior Dami Awojobi (Hempstead, N.Y.) led the way with a double-double, 22 kills (career-high) and 10 digs.
Awojobi opened the game with a heavy kill, set by reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Co-Setter of the Year Kayla Diaz (Rockland, N.Y.). The offensive duo went on to lead the Bison throughout the game. Diaz finished with a game-high 48 assists.
Howard gained momentum early on in the first set, holding the advantage until a seven-point run by the Hoyas gave them a 25-22 claim to the set.
The Hoyas kept it rolling in the second set with several multi-point runs to widen the gap. Junior and leader in kills Mary Grace Goyena (Ellicott City, Md.) closed out the rally by adding another kill to her stats, 25-17.
MEAC Player of the Year Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.) responded with two powerful kills to start set three - one of which was strong enough to ricochet to the ceiling. The Bison continued to grasp the lead through the first 13 points before gradually pulling away.
A four-point run inched the Hoyas within a point of the Bison, but another kill by McKinnon ignited the crowd as the ref called set point. Goyena returned to the front lines, sending another point into Bison territory to even it out 25-25.
In an exciting finish, Awojobi notched her 17th kill of the night for a 26-25 lead. The Georgetown comeback came to a halt when junior Cimone Woodard (Missouri City, Texas) and Diaz blocked the Hoyas' effort to win the set, 27-25, while stretching the contest to a fourth set.
Tied 18-18 in the fourth, Georgetown began to slowly pull away as the Bison lost momentum. A near seven-point run sealed the deal for the Hoyas, closing the set, 25-19.
The Bison are back on the court Saturday, August 26 at 1 p.m. as they host George Washington to continue the D.C. Invitational.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.
