No. 8 NYU women’s volleyball upset No. 6 Emory University in a five-set thriller at the University of Rochester on Sunday, Oct. 16. They came into the game off the back of five straight victories, including wins against No. 19 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The Violets faced the Emory Eagles in their second match of the day after sweeping Rochester 25-13, 25-17 and 25-18 in their University Athletic Association matchup Sunday morning. 

NYU started off the game strong against Emory, taking a 2-0 lead after two sets. The second set was particularly strong for head coach Andrew Brown’s team, as the team won by a nine-point margin.

Despite the game seemingly tilted overwhelmingly in the Violets favor, the Eagles began to mount a comeback in the third and fourth sets. 

The third set was tight, with the Violets coming tantalizingly close to what would have been a stunning sweep, leading 23-21 near the end of the set. This was not to be, as Emory would go on to score four straight points and keep the game alive.

The fourth set was a dominant effort from the Eagles — a mirror image of the second. NYU did not lead the entire set, and the only time the teams were ever tied was after the first four points. After taking the set 25-17, the Eagles forced a winner-take-all fifth set.

Emory’s comeback hopes were crushed quickly by NYU, as it completely dominated the fifth frame. The Violets got off to a 5-1 lead early on and never let Emory back in the set. The closest gap thereafter was just four points. 

It was an incredible game for almost everyone on the NYU team, but senior right side/outside hitter Gabriella Spaethling was a particular standout. With a game-high 18 points, she recorded the most kills of anyone on the team while adding four blocks to go along with it.

This win was a big statement for the Violets. They have now beaten the last three ranked teams they have played, including two top 10 teams. They look to continue their incredible form for Senior Night against Stockton University on Friday, Oct. 21, at 4 p.m. as the final stretch of the season approaches.

Contact Pablo Ocariz at [email protected].