NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - The Rutgers women’s volleyball team fell to Villanova, 3-1 (24-30, 30-28, 26-30, 27-30) in the final match for the Scarlet Knights this season. Rutgers finishes the season with a record of 17-11, 6-7 in the BIG EAST, while Villanova improves to 18-16, 7-6 in conference play. The match was Senior Day, as Pualani Tuyay (San Diego, CA), Lauren Venarchik (West Chester, PA) and Jen Hansen (Bakersfield, CA) played their final home matches at the College Avenue Gym.

The match was highlighted by junior Shayla Bush (Spokane, WA) moving into first place on the Rutgers all-time list for kills in a season. With 17 in the match, Bush accrued 479 in 2002, surpassing Lola Opadiran’s 1997 total of 472. Bush has also moved into fifth place on the Rutgers all-time list for career kills with 1,102.

Tuyay finished up her career with 47 assists in the match, while adding 18 digs and five kills. Venarchik tallied 10 kills and six total blocks (two solo, four assists), while Hansen recorded two digs and a service ace in her final match. Sophomore Dawn Christjaener (Huntington Beach, CA) contributed 21 digs for RU.

Villanova was led by Kerri Sullivan, who had 23 kills and five digs, as four Wildcats recorded double-digit kills. Erin Birunas added 18 kills and 16 digs. In the fourth and deciding game, Birunas recorded seven kills to lead the Wildcats.

Villanova held the Scarlet Knights to a .188 hitting percentage, while the Wildcats hit .269. Despite the loss, RU out-blocked Villanova, 13-5.