WashU’s Sam Buckley sets up a kill during Wednesday’s match against Webster. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| NCAA Volleyball | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| #7 WashU (7-1) | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Webster (2-5) | 12 | 21 | 22 |
Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer
WEBSTER GROVES, MO — Behind a balanced offensive effort, the No. 7 Washington University women’s volleyball team swept Webster University (25-12, 25-21, 25-22), in straight sets, Wednesday night inside Grant Gymnasium. In total, 12 Bears recorded at least one kill as WashU extended its win streak to four. With the win, WashU’s record upped to 7-1, while Webster’s record slid to 2-5.
The Bears welcomed the statistical advantage in kills (41-24), aces (7-3), assists (37-24), and hitting percentage (.227-.100).
Offensively, junior McKenzie Washington tied a season-high with nine kills. First-year Leah Oyewole produced seven kills, while sophomore Aaliyaa Genat generated a career-high with six kills.
Sophomore Sam Buckley earned a match-high 28 assists, while junior Elise Gilroy dished out five assists.
Defensively, Gilroy tabbed a match-high 16 digs.
With the score tied at 7-7 in the opening set, Buckley notched a kill to give the Bears the 8-7 cushion. A three-point run pushed the advantage to 11-7. In the run, senior Lily Steinbach tallied a kill along with back-to-back Gorlok errors.
Kills from junior Zoe Foster and Oyewole gave WashU the 15-9 lead to warrant a Webster timeout. Later in the set, the Bears manufactured another three-point run to welcome a 20-11 lead. The run was highlighted by a sophomore Eva Boling kill. To end the set, Washington took advantage of an overpass and deposited a kill in front of the 10-foot line to claim the first set, 25-12.
The second set saw back-and-forth action as the score stood at 10-10. Later in the set, a Webster ace cut the deficit to 15-14, with WashU clinging to a one-point lead. Back-to-back Bear miscues tied the set at 16 all.
However, a timely three-point WashU run gave the Bears a 19-16 advantage as the Webster coach motioned for a timeout. The Bears did not relinquish the second set lead as Washington, once again, recorded the set-ending kill by a score of 25-21.
Looking for a sweep, WashU manufactured the 10-7 cushion. The Bears utilized a three-point run on a senior Paris Nix kill, a Webster attack error, and a Nix ace to push the advantage to 13-7. A Clair Redmon kill, followed by an ace from junior Jordan Sandberg extended WashU’s cushion by a score of 20-16.
After a Webster timeout, Genat recorded a kill to give the Bears a 21-16 lead. However, three straight points by the Gorloks cut the deficit to 21-19. Back-to-back aces by Nix pushed the Bear cushion to 23-19. A Webster service error ended the match as WashU took the third set, 25-22.
WashU will trek to Whitewater, Wis. to compete in the UW-Whitewater Invite II, Friday and Saturday. The Bears will tangle with College of Saint Benedict, Friday at 7 p.m., before squaring off with No. 16 Transylvania University and No. 10 Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday.
2023 WashU Bears Women’s Volleyball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 (Friday) | 7 p.m. | Neutral | Saint Benedict | Whitewater, Wis. |
| September 16, 2023 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Neutral | #16 Transylvania | Whitewater, Wis. |
| September 16, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | #10 Wisconsin-Whitewater | Whitewater, Wis. |
| September 19, 2023 (Tuesday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Greenville | WashU Field House |
| September 23, 2023 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Away | Case Western Reserve | Cleveland, Ohio |
| September 23, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Neutral | Brandeis | Cleveland, Ohio |
| September 24, 2023 (Sunday) | 11 a.m. | Neutral | New York | Cleveland, Ohio |
| October 4, 2023 (Wednesday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Fontbonne | WashU Field House |
| October 6, 2023 (Friday) | 7 p.m. | Away | North Park | Chicago, Ill. |
| October 8, 2023 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Chicago | Chicago, Ill. |
| October 8, 2023 (Sunday) | 2 p.m. | Neutral | Carnegie Mellon | Chicago, Ill. |
| October 13, 2023 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Home | DePauw | WashU Field House |
| October 13, 2023 (Friday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | WashU Field House |
| October 14, 2023 (Saturday) | 10:30 a.m. | Home | Simpson | WashU Field House |
| October 14, 2023 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Illinois Wesleyan | WashU Field House |
| October 22, 2023 (Sunday) | 9 a.m. | Neutral | Rochester | Waltham, Mass. |
| October 22, 2023 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Neutral | Emory | Waltham, Mass. |
| October 26, 2023 (Thursday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Webster | WashU Field House |
| November 1, 2023 (Wednesday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Westminster | Fulton, Mo. |
| November 4, 2023 (Saturday) | 3:30 p.m. | Neutral | Hendrix | Decatur, Ill. |
| November 4, 2023 (Saturday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Millikin | Decatur, Ill. |
| November 10-12, 2023 | TBA | Neutral | UAA Championships | Atlanta, Ga. |