When the GW volleyball team was playing their difficult early season schedule, coach Jojit Coronel said the fierce competition would help them gear up for Atlantic 10 league play. With only four wins going into their first conference road trip to Ohio, the Colonials inconsistent play showed as they dropped matches to Xavier and Dayton without winning a single game.

Coronel saw his team’s play as encouraging, saying he was not disappointed with the two losses.

“I feel pretty good despite not winning,” Coronel said in a phone interview Sunday. “It was a lot different feeling than Georgia Tech. We showed up for Xavier and Dayton. Both matches we were in the match, we couldn’t counter a lot of their runs but we competed.”

The Colonials will play in the Washington area on Tuesday, facing the University of Maryland-Baltimore County in Baltimore before opening their A-10 home schedule on Friday at 7 p.m. against La Salle.

“I think our ball control and passing is something we need to shore up,” Coronel said. “We have one day to get things better and every girl has one focus, each of them, one skill they need to get better so we can try to beat them.”

Dayton 3, GW 0

After a loss to Xavier, GW could not rebound against Dayton, suffering a second straight sweep (20-30, 23-30, 27-30). The Flyers improved to 6-9 overall, while the loss dropped GW to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in the A-10.

Sophomore Janine Brown, the team’s most productive member thus far, registered a team-high 11 points, with eight kills and two service aces.

Coronel was content with the way Brown played.

“Janine is playing pretty good, but I really think she could do better passing,” Coronel said. “Her attacking has been consistent. Overall for our team, we need to improve passing”

Senior Jessica Vesey had nine digs, while junior Kelley Kabbes chipped in eight kills.

Dayton dominated GW offensively, hitting .391 compared to the Colonials .162. The Flyers had eight blocks, 46 digs and six service aces.

Xavier 3, GW 0

The Colonials started off their trip to the Buckeye state on the wrong foot, losing in straight games to Xavier (28-30, 25-30, 19-30). The win moved the Musketeers to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in the A-10.

Brown continued her dominant play with her second straight double-double, complete with 11 kills and 10 digs. McLaughlin tallied 10 kills and 13 digs, while Vesey chipped in with 12 digs.