In a three-set sweep, the NYU women’s volleyball team was victorious against the United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners. With this win, the Violets claimed their ninth consecutive win of the season to bring their overall record to 12-1.
Senior outside hitter and co-captain Alexandria Mao put 15 points on the board, with 14 kills and one service ace.
“We consistently executed the plays we worked on in practice, so that really helped our play,” Mao said.
The NYU women set the aggressive tone for the game in the very first service with sophomore setter Emily Moore serving two aces. They would continue that momentum as leading scorers, Mao and freshman outside hitter Gigi Morally, made hard-hitting kills and pushed the lead for the Violets. With precise setting by Moore, the ladies came out of the first set with a deserved win.
Despite the nearly flawless first set, the Violets faltered slightly in the second game, scraping by with a 25-22 win.
“We had a dip in the second game but we came together and pushed for that win so we could go into the last game with confidence and momentum,” said Hope Bogle, senior defensive specialist and co-captain of the team.
Despite the Violets’ victories in the first two sets, the Mariners were led by junior outside hitter Cassandra Palma, who put nine kills on the board, as they tried to claw their way back from a six-point deficit in the middle of the set. But it would not be enough to break NYU. After hard-fought rallies and big kills down the outsides, the Violets came out with the win in straight sets.
“Even though we didn’t play to our highest capabilities, we never gave up and were persistent for the win in the second set,” assistant coach LaKell Havens said. Havens, who is in her first year as an assistant volleyball coach, noted that each player accomplished their individual responsibilities and earned the win.
“Defense is something we need to work on, but it’s not something we can’t improve on,” she said.
Just one week away from conference play, the Violets are gearing up for the pursuit of a UAA title.
“We definitely just need to focus on being 100 percent and keep up the cohesive play in order to really prepare ourselves for conference play,” Mao said.
Team chemistry is vital for the Violets, who recruited eight new freshmen for the fall season. The new recruits add a competitive nature for the starting lineup, which pushes the players to perform at the highest level. But the team still maintains unity.
“Compared to others, this team this year is one of the most positive teams I have been on, and we are set up to have a strong season with the new freshmen on board,” Bogle said.
Michelle Tran is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].