ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The No. 8 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team did not let the weather in the Northeast deter it from making a statement inside the Louis Alexander Palestra on the campus of the University of Rochester as WashU picked up a pair of 3-0 sweeps on day one of the UAA Round Robin #1 over No. 15 Emory and Brandeis.
With the wins, the Bears improve to 10-2 on the season and 2-0 in the UAA.
WashU 3, Emory 0
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in the first set, 5-1, before WashU pulled even on a kill by sophomore Abby Krause, 8-8. The Bears' first lead of the set came on a kill by senior Leah Oyewole at 15-14.
WashU slowly built up to a 21-18 lead before Emory went on a 5-0 run to take a 23-21 advantage. However, the Bears responded with a run of their own, claiming the final four points of the set with kills by first-year Saoirse Henderson and Oyewole, as well as blocks by Henderson and senior Naya Ohuabunwa, 25-23.
The second set was certainly a game of runs, as both teams used multiple stretches of three or more points while scoring.
The Bears built up a 17-15 lead before a 4-0 run put the Eagles back on top, 19-17. WashU slowly chipped away and tied the set at 23-23 on a kill by Krause. Emory would secure the first set point at 24-23, but three straight points by the Bears, capped by a service ace from first-year Anya Mikhailenko, put WashU up 2-0 after taking the second set 26-24.
After trailing 6-5 to start the third set, the Bears went on a 7-2 run to jump ahead by four, 12-8. Emory responded with its own 7-0 stretch to take a three-point lead, 15-12. However, it did not last long as WashU answered with a 6-0 run and a 5-0 run to jump ahead 23-18.
After an Eagles point, a kill by Oyewole and a block by both Mikhailenko and sophomore Nia Jones closed out the set, 25-19, and the match, 3-0.
The win marked the first time that the Bears have swept Emory in a match since the 2009 season.
Reigning National Player of the Week Oyewole led all players with 16 kills in the match while adding seven digs. Jones led the defensive effort at the net with five total blocks, one of five WashU players with multiple blocks. Senior
Ellie Laird finished with a team-high 15 digs.
Mikhailenko finished her run of eight straight matches with a double-double. She has nine double-doubles in the Bears' 12 matches this season.
WashU 3, Brandeis 0
Despite controlling play and the score board early in the first set, WashU saw its lead evaporate as Brandeis jumped ahead by two at 10-8 and pushed it to three at 14-11. After the Bears used a quick run to tie the score at 14-14, the Judges took their biggest lead at 18-14.
WashU then answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a block from Jones and Ohuabunwa, to pull ahead by three, 21-18. After Brandeis saved a set point with WashU leading 24-20, a Judge attack error secured the first set for the Bears, 25-21.
Much like their first match of the day, WashU saw the second set become a game of runs. Brandeis opened on a 7-0 run before the Bears pulled within one on a 7-1 stretch. WashU took the lead in the set for the first time on a 3-0 scoring stretch at 10-9 before using another 4-1 run to expand its lead to 14-10.
After some back and forth, the Bears saw their lead grow to seven at 22-15 and had a set point at 24-16. Brandeis once again saved a set point, but another Judge error, this time a service error, closed out the set 25-17, allowing WashU to take a 2-0 match lead.
After the Judges took the first two points of the third set, the Bears continued to show their power with an 11-1 run to jump ahead by eight, 11-3. A 4-0 run and three 2-0 scoring opportunities saw WashU lead 22-9 late in the set.
Leading 23-10, the Bears got a kill from Oyewole and a service ace from Isabel Campie to seal their second sweep of the day, 25-10, and take the match 3-0.
Once again, Oyewole led the way with 13 kills while hitting .370. Mikhailenko's run of double-doubles ended with 31 assists and she narrowly missed out with eight digs. Laird led in digs with 23, while both Jones and senior Anaia Montaque-Harrison finished with four blocks.
WashU wraps up the UAA Round Robin #1 with a match on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 12 p.m. ET against (RV) NYU.
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