The NYU women’s volleyball team finished their regular season on a three-game winning streak with a 20-10 record, placing sixth in the UAA conference. They won the tournament last season from second rank, but will have a tougher time going back to the final as they come up against the Washington University in St. Louis Bears who are ranked third in the conference.
Ahead of this week’s conference tournament, our staff at WSN have made a couple of predictions — some of them substantive, some of them not so much.
Disclaimer: These predictions are just for fun and are not to be taken seriously. The WSN staff is, in fact, not liable for any of the events that transpire in the games cited below.
Emily Genova, Managing Editor
Washington University in St. Louis: 2-3, L
Tournament finish: Fifth
I hope I’m wrong, but I think the Violets will lose — narrowly — against WashU. The teams last played each other over a month ago and the Bears won 3-1, so I think the Violets will be back for vengeance. The game will be closer than last time, and NYU will keep the sets close, but it’s playing a strong team. WashU has also won against other schools that NYU lost to, like the University of Chicago and Trinity University in Texas. Two sets to three, WashU.
I do, however, think NYU will do well in the tournament otherwise. There are a lot of teams that the Violets could beat, so I predict the team will win its other games and ultimately, place fifth.
Jonathan Mak and Sidney Snider, Sports Editors
Washington University in St. Louis: 3-2, W
Tournament finish: Second
The Violets haven’t won a five-set contest all season, but we believe everything will change this Friday — the postseason is where magic happens and hopes and dreams come true.
WashU is ranked eighth in the AVCA polls, while NYU fell out of the list on Oct. 22, and both teams played out a tight match where the Violets were defeated 1-3. NYU doesn’t have the best track record against the Bears — only winning games in 2001, 2010, 2021 and 2023. Yes, they have lost a few key members, but outside hitters Chloe Hynes and Grace Nelson have 32 kills each over the last three games, and Yooni Park is having an outstanding first season at libero for the Violets. We have faith in this year’s team — it will beat the winner of Case Western Reserve University vs. Brandeis University in the next round to come up against Emory University — probably — in the final, where the Eagles will unfortunately get their revenge.
Krish Dev, Director of Creative & Digital Strategy
Washington University in St. Louis: 2-3, L
Tournament finish: Fifth
This month, the Violets have shown strong form, winning all three of their last games, including 3-0 sweeps in their last two fixtures against Hunter College and Montclair State University. Heading into this weekend’s tournament as the sixth seed, the team faces a challenging bracket in their quest to defend last season’s title.
The Violets lost 1-3 to WashU in an away game last month. While this rematch will be held in their home state, the odds are stacked against them. WashU is the third seed and boast a 26-5 record this season, compared to NYU’s 20-10. Historically, the Bears have dominated this matchup, winning 26 of their 30 against the Violets.
Still, the Violets come into this game with momentum. If junior setter Ava Launsbach can maintain her impressive playmaking — she’s already made 569 assists this season — they could push the Bears to the final set. I expect WashU to ultimately win, but if Launsbach has an exceptional game, an upset might just be within reach. Should NYU fall short, I see them winning the losers’ bracket, securing fifth place in the tournament.
Levi Langley, Deputy Sports Editor
Washington University in St. Louis: 2-3, L
Tournament finish: Sixth
Despite their proneness to four-set matches all season long, I believe the energy of the tournament will manifest in the Violets pushing this one to five. The team will ultimately — and I do hope they prove me wrong — lose 2-3 to the WashU Bears.
Earlier this season, the Violets lost in four to the Bears, but with tight scores in each set nonetheless, at 23-25, 17-25, 25-16 and 23-25. The Bears are seeded third in the UAA, with a 26-5 overall record and 5-2 in the conference. Compared to NYU’s 20-10 and 3-4 record in the conference, I am unfortunately confident about the stance I’ve taken. But who knows, the postseason tournament is where crazy things happen — and for the Violets’ sake, as well as for mine, I do hope some version of crazy commences.
Logan Holland, Deputy Sports Editor
Washington University in St. Louis: 3-2, W
Tournament finish: First
There must be something in the air in the Big Apple. From the New York Liberty to the Violets, New York City’s very own women’s sports teams are returning to their winning ways.
You’d probably look at how the Violets have historically performed against WashU — with only four victories since 2001 — and be less confident in our chances, but that’s where you’d be wrong.
Winning in the postseason is all about things clicking at the right time and the women’s volleyball team has been on a winning streak as of late. NYU has won seven of their last eight matches with most of those victories ending in 3-0 sweeps.
The Violets’ road to taking home the UAA title is not easy, but if the squad can squeeze past WashU, they will face either Brandeis or CWRU. In the regular season, NYU beat Brandeis 3-1 on Sept. 28 and in its Oct. 13 matchup, swept CWRU 3-0. The Violets should — fingers crossed — emerge victorious in those games, especially considering the dominant performances of outside hitter Grace Nelson and middle blocker Jessica Spierenburg.
After that, anything can happen — what would the postseason be without a little luck?
Contact Emily, Jonathan, Krish, Levi, Logan and Sidney at [email protected].
