The NYU women’s volleyball team will host the first round of UAA matches this weekend at the Paulson Center. The Violets begin their defense of the UAA Championship title against Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 11 a.m., and Brandeis University at 1 p.m. The team returns to play the University of Chicago at noon on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Ahead of this week’s round of conference games, 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 above.
Alisia Houghtaling, Multimedia Editor
Carnegie Mellon: 3-2 W
Brandeis University: 3-1 W
University of Chicago: 3-2 W
The women’s volleyball statistics are looking great this year — with nine wins and four losses, the team has achieved 607 kills, 249 errors, 12.6 kills per set, 1.9 blocks per set and 15.9 digs per set. I believe the match-up of NYU against Carnegie Mellon will be tough, but a great one to watch because the Violets will come out victorious in the fifth set. Statistically, the two teams are very similar, but as someone who has seen the aggression, want and drive that the Violets play with, we’ll be giving Carnegie Mellon a run for its money.
However, after the 11 a.m. match-up, the Violets go straight into a 1 p.m. match against Brandeis University, which could put them at a disadvantage, but might just allow the rush of the previous game to carry them through. Brandeis has played 14 games and NYU has played 13 games, but the university has 40 less errors and 2.3 more digs per set than its opponent. I believe they’ll take them 3-1, losing the first set but coming back in the following three.
The next day, NYU plays UChicago — both teams’ first match of the day –– and I think it might get intense. UChicago has played 16 games this season, won 14 and lost two, and has 781 kills in comparison to our 607. UChicago does have a lot more serving errors, 139 to be exact, and only 11 more aces than NYU, which makes them seem a bit trigger-happy at the serving line.
Also, look out for our highest-scoring hitter sophomore Grace Nelson, with 168 kills, 3.7 kills per set, 200.5 points total — in comparison to UChicago’s Thalita Marangon with 148 kills, 2.79 kills per set and 185.5 points total. However, our libero graduate student Yooni Park has 253 digs total while their libero Kennedy Cheung only has 181. I fear that their kill statistics might give them the upperhand, but we can rebut it and win in the fifth set — potentially even go head-to-head over 15 points — if the Violets really put their all into it. I also believe the positive environment that NYU’s coaches create — in comparison to other coaches you might watch — allows them to lose less points from frustration-driven errors. Maybe my predictions are a little biased, but I do go to one of the four schools playing … and I understand statistics. Go Violets!
Emily Genova, Managing Editor
Carnegie Mellon: 3-2 W
Brandeis University: 3-0 W
University of Chicago: 3-1 W
I’m choosing to be optimistic. As a high school volleyball player who never made it on varsity, I feel especially qualified to make these predictions. The Violets are coming off of a few losses last Saturday, but I think the team will continue their four-game winning streak against Carnegie Mellon. It’s a home game, and there’s not a building in the city more homey than Paulson, but this win will not come without a fight: 3-2.
Now, I need this next prediction to be correct — the women’s volleyball team has been defeated by Brandeis just three times. The Violets have swept the Judges since 2021, and I am manifesting this pattern continues.
UChicago will be a toss-up — we’ve won the last three games against them, but don’t dare to look at the statistics from 2011-2019. That was a long time ago, and this is a different team. 3-1, to the Violets.
Jonathan Mak, Sports Editor
Carnegie Mellon: 1-3 L
Brandeis University: 3-0 W
University of Chicago: 3-2 W
I’ve covered the women’s volleyball team for about a year now, and I don’t think wins will come as easy as they did last season with the Violets’ 8-2 record in the UAA. This time last year, the Violets’ had swept eight of their 14 opponents. This year, they’ve only swept four teams.
Two key players will not be on the court this season — former outside hitter Haley Holz, who ranks second in all-time kills for NYU, graduated, and former libero Lindsey Hirano left the team. Nelson has filled the role amazingly, as her attacking output has increased and will continue to do so. Park has slotted into the defensive-specialist role seamlessly as well, but after watching a few games, the main issue I see is that the team isn’t communicating as effectively as last year.
The team has dropped the first set in all but one of their last seven matches — the exception coming in a 3-1 win last weekend against the University of California, Santa Cruz — and I think the first match will be the same. I don’t see the Violets’ recovering from that early deficit, so a 1-3 loss in the first match.
I think that first loss will be a wake-up call, and the team will rally and sweep the Judges. The Violets’ usually respond well to losses, in sets and in matches, so this will, hopefully, be the case again. Also, we haven’t lost to them since 2018, and 2012 before that. No way, right?
The UChicago game is a coin-toss in my opinion, because they are 14-2, but we swept them last season, and defeated them 3-1 and 3-2 in the seasons before that. If the Violets do come out on top, I think it’ll be in a tight fifth set, and I’m going bold — a 16-14 win with two service aces to win it.
Krish Dev, Director of Creative & Digital Strategy
Carnegie Mellon: 3-1 W
Brandeis University: 3-0 W
University of Chicago: 2-3 L
Truthfully, like Alisia and Emily, I fully expect the Violets to sweep these three games. However, to gain an edge in predictions, I need to embrace my contrarian nature and take a calculated risk.
Going into October, the NYU women’s volleyball team boasts a respectable 9-4 record. However, their initial momentum — with six straight wins to start the season — has cooled down, and the team has had three losses in its last four games. Last week’s match against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology marked their first without securing a single set.
While I’m optimistic about their recovery, the Violets toughest game is against UChicago. Even though Wednesday was the Maroons’ first win against a ranked opponent since 2022, their red-hot form of four sweeps on the bounce in contrast to NYU’s recent struggles, is a clear mismatch of momentum.
The two Saturday games against Brandeis University and Carnegie Mellon University should give the Violets a chance to recuperate. NYU has defeated CMU 3-1 in their last four games, dating back to 2021 — I don’t think this week’s game will deviate from that trend, even if this year’s roster is relatively young.
I’m most confident in my Brandeis prediction. The Judges have historically been a favorite opponent for the Violets, with 29 all-time wins and just three losses, the last one nearly six years ago. Sophomore hitter Grace Nelson will get back to her best and make more than a dozen kills over the three sets against the Judges — you heard it here first.
Sidney Snider, Deputy Sports Editor
Carnegie Mellon: 3-1 W
Brandeis University: 3-0 W
University of Chicago: 2-3 L
Carnegie Mellon is currently sitting at a 7-6 record, only slightly lower than NYU’s 9-4, and I think they will give the Violets a run for their money. While the Tartans have a higher kill-per-set rate — 12.96 to NYU’s 12.6 — that isn’t the only factor that contributes to a win. After the first three sets, NYU will trail 2-1, but the team will pull it together and win back-to-back sets to defeat the Tartans.
As much as I would like to disagree with all of my bosses, I also think NYU will sweep Brandeis. The Violets have beat the Judges 29 times since 2001, with the reverse only occurring thrice. Brandeis seems to be having a decent start to the season, but the same has been true for the past few years, with losses to NYU being a constant. History tends to repeat itself, and the Violets will win against the Judges again on Sept. 28.
I think NYU will end the weekend with a loss to UChicago. Going 14-2 this season, the Maroons are sitting on higher stats than NYU all around and are looking ready for the match-up. It’s been 11 months since the two teams faced off — with a Violets W — and UChicago is going to take back the victory they consistently held over NYU a decade ago.
Contact Alisia, Emily, Jonathan, Krish and Sidney at [email protected].
