Facing two of the top teams in Division III to start the first University Athletic Association round robin at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland on Saturday, the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team upset #10 New York University 3-0 but fell to #12 Washington University in St. Louis 3-0.
With the split, the Spartans now sit at 10-4 on the season and 1-1 in UAA contests. The Bears improved to 10-4 and 2-0 in league play, while the Violets stand at 11-2 with a 1-1 conference record. The win over NYU was the Spartans' first over a team in the top 10 of the AVCA Coaches Poll since their 3-2 victory of #4 WashU last season.
#12 WashU 3, CWRU 0 (23-25, 23-25, 23-25)
The Spartans and Bears battled to begin the first set, with WashU gaining an early 8-4 advantage. CWRU cut its deficit to one at 10-9 with a Washington attack error. The teams split the next six points until two kills and an attack error gave the Spartans a 15-13 lead. The Bears won six of the next seven points to reclaim a three-point advantage (19-16). Back-to-back kills by sophomore outside hitter Kalli Wall cut the Spartan deficit to one, but WashU responded with a quick 4-1 run to lead 23-19. Following a service error, back-to-back CWRU blocks made the score 23-22 in favor of the visitors. WashU won the next point, but a kill by senior middle block Jennifer Ngo kept the Spartans alive in the set. However, they allowed WashU to win the point and the set.
The Bears opened the second set with a 6-3 run, but the Spartans quickly tied the score at six. However, WashU scored the next six points, and following a service error, scored three more points in a row to lead 15-7. With the score at 18-11, CWRU won four consecutive points to get within three. After splitting the next two points, WashU won three points in a row to lead 22-16. The Spartans won five consecutive points on a combination of blocks and kills to make the score 22-21. Two kills by Zoe Foster put the Bears within a point of clinching, but Case Western Reserve stayed alive on a kill by Wall and a WashU attacking error. The Bears ended the set on the next point to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
CWRU led a few times early in the third set, including 15-11 after back-to-back kills by Ngo. The Bears clawed their way back into the set, tying the score at 20 and then taking a 21-20 lead late in the set. Ngo buried a kill to tie the score at 21, and the Spartans responded to two consecutive WashU points with two points of their own. The Bears then won the set and the match with two straight kills.
Ngo had a team-high 16 kills and an attacking percentage of .500 in the match. Junior outside/middle hitter Rea Marfatia had eight kills and nine digs, and Wall contributed eight kills. Junior setter/outside hitter Carly Scott assisted on 20 points to lead the team, and senior setter Ansley Yamaato had a team-high 12 digs in addition to 15 assists.
CWRU 3, #10 NYU 0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
CWRU started the match with a 6-2 run with a pair of kills and a block by Ngo contributing half of the team's points. NYU tied the score at six, but the Spartans won six of the next seven points to gain a five-point advantage. Case Western Reserve then led by eight, 18-10, after scoring on six of the following nine points. The Violets fought back, cutting the Spartan lead to just three points at 20-17, but a service error and back-to-back CWRU kills put the hosts up five. Three consecutive NYU points brought the visitors within three, however kills by Wall and Marfatia clinched the set for Case Western Reserve.
The Spartans opened the second set well, creating a three-point lead early which became a five-point advantage on a kill by senior libero Alyssa Blessinger. With CWRU up 14-9, NYU scored seven of the next 11 points to cut the deficit to just two, 20-18. Four straight Spartan points gave the hosts set point, and, following a New York kill, Ngo ended the set with her 11th kill of the match.
Case Western Reserve once again led early in the third set and opened a five-point lead, 13-8, on the service of Blessinger. The Violets tied the score at 14 with a 6-1 run, and at 17 after the Spartans scored a pair of points. Following an NYU service error, a block and a kill by sophomore middle blocker Amanda Ngo gave the Spartans a three-point lead. A 3-0 NYU run tied the score at 20, but the Spartans won the final five points to clinch the upset victory. Marfatia had the final kill and was met by the entire team on the court to celebrate the upset win.
Jennifer Ngo led the team with 13 kills and contributed six total blocks (four solo, two assist) and three digs. Marfatia recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs. Blessinger had a team-high 15 digs, and Yamaato led the Spartans with 16 assists. Amanda Ngo had five total blocks (three solo, two assist) and five kills.
The Spartans will wrap up play at the first UAA round robin tomorrow at 10 a.m. with a match against Brandeis inside Horsburgh Gym.
