WHITEWATER, Wis. - The No. 7 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team wrapped up play in the UW-Whitewater Invite II, Saturday, Sept. 16 in Whitewater, Wis. The Bears dropped their first match of the day to No. 16 Transylvania University (25-20, 25-19, 25-20), then came up short in the nightcap against host, No. 10 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-19). WashU's record now sits at 7-4 on the season. 

 

Junior Jasmine Sells recorded her seventh double-double of the year by securing 19 kills and 12 digs. Sophomore Sam Buckley notched her sixth double-double with her 30 assists and 11 digs. 

 

Junior Zoe Foster manufactured seven kills, while junior Lucy Davis hauled in five kills. 

 

Sells and Foster both tallied four blocks in the contest. 

 

Defensively, junior Elise Gilroy produced a match-high 17 digs. 

 

WashU held the upper hand in aces (8-5), blocks (8-5), and digs (64-58). Transy grabbed the advantage in kills (47-36), assists (45-34), and hitting percentage (.269-.164). 

 

In the first match of the day against Transylvania, the Pioneers took the early set one lead, 6-2. A Sells kill later in the set cut the deficit to 12-6. Sells then produced four straight aces as Transy held the slim advantage, 12-10. Trying to mount a comeback, another Sells kills brought the deficit to just one, 21-20. However, the WashU comeback attempt came up just short as the Pioneers took set one, 25-20. 

 

In the second, Transy utilized another strong start as they raced out to the 8-3 cushion. An ace from Gilroy pushed the score to 10-9, in favor of the Pioneers. Later in the frame, back-to-back Buckley aces cut into the Transy lead as the score stood at 13-12. A Pioneer attack error tied the score at 15-15. Transy manufactured the 23-18 advantage late in the second. In the end, the Pioneers won the second set by a score of 25-19. 

 

Transylvania grabbed the 11-5 lead in the third set. The Bears could not generate a comeback after the early deficit as the Pioneers won set three, 25-20. 

 

WashU held the advantage in kills (58-48), assists (54-41), and digs (90-71), while UW-Whitewater topped the Bears in aces (10-4) and blocks (13-4). 

 

Sells welcomed her eighth double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs, while Buckley tabbed her seventh double-double as she produced 47 assists and 16 digs. 

 

Oyewole manufactured 14 kills and Steinbach added 12. 

 

Gilroy was credited with a match-high 27 digs in the setback.  

 

The Warhawks took the quick, 9-0, lead in the opening set. A kill by Oyewole halted the UW-Whitewater nine-point run. Later in the frame, back-to-back Sells kills cut the deficit to 11-7. WashU was able to erase the early nine-point deficit on a Warhawk attack error as the score stood tied, 12-12. The UW-Whitewater error warranted a timeout from the home team. 

 

With the Warhawks in front, 19-15, Oyewole manufactured a thunderous kill to cut UW-Whitewater's lead to three, 19-16. Whitewater tallied the final three points to take the first set, 25-20.  

 

After trailing 4-1 in the second, the Bears produced a six-point rally that saw four kills, one attack error, and one service ace, which led to a Warhawk timeout with WashU in front, 7-4. UW-Whitewater then went on a four-point run to trim the WashU lead to one, 10-9. As the set progressed, both programs traded points as the Bears held the 16-13 cushion. WashU then grabbed the next two points on an Oyewole kill and a Warhawk attack error to widen the lead to 18-13. With the Bears up 24-21, Oyewole earned the set-ending kill to even the match at one set apiece after the 25-21 victory.  

 

In the third, the Warhawks secured a 5-0 lead, which led to an early WashU timeout. The Bears generated a three-point run later in the set to cut the deficit to one, 11-10. The run saw a senior Lily Steinbach kill and back-to-back Warhawk miscues. WashU battled back to even the score at 13-13 on a UW-Whitewater ball handing error. After swapping points, the Warhawks tallied back-to-back scores on two kills to generate the late three-point, 21-18, advantage. UW-Whitewater did not relinquish the lead as the home team took the third set, 25-22. 

 

Early in the fourth, WashU welcomed a six-point run earn the lead, 11-6. The run was highlighted by four Sells kills. The Warhawks then countered with a five-point run to knot the score 11-11. With runs a common theme in the fourth, UW-Whitewater earned five straight to generate a 16-12 advantage. The Warhawks ended the match in four with a 25-19 victory. 

 

The Bears will host Greenville University, Tuesday, Sept. 19 for the program's next contest. First serve is set for 7 p.m. inside of the Field House.