Margaret BauerAfter struggling against some of the top competition in the nation at the Teri Clemens Invitational, Washington University volleyball reeled off four straight wins last week to get their season back on track and live up to their No. 6 ranking.
On Monday Sept. 27 the Bears took down the Webster University Gorlocks and then this past weekend in Pittsburgh, the Bears breezed past conference foes Rochester, Carnegie Mellon and Emory at the University Athletic Association Round Robin One.
Against Webster the Bears took the first game 30-21 by reeling off eight of the last nine points to close out the frame. In the second game WU cruised 30-23 via another big run midway through the game. However, the Gorlocks battled back in the third game holding off a late WU rally to win 30-28. WU struggled again in the fourth game before pulling away to take the game 30-25 and win the match 3-1.
In the victory senior right setter Jasmine Hunt posted a career night, slamming home 11 kills and compiling 15 digs. Not to be outdone, senior outside hitter Colleen Winter continued to show why she is the heart and soul of the 2004 Bears squad by pounding 12 kills and amassing 22 digs.
With Webster out of the way, the Bears traveled to Pittsburgh last weekend to start UAA conference play. A tough Carnegie Mellon Tartans squad, ranked No. 25, took the early lead against WU on Saturday, but the Bears erased the 8-5 deficit in game one to cruise to a 30-25, 30-19, 30-20 victory. Junior middle hitter Megan Houck headed the WU attack, clocking 12 kills on only 19 swings. Continuing her stellar play, Hunt chipped in eight kills, five assists, and five digs while junior setter Kara Liefer totaled 33 assists. As a measure of the historical success the University has enjoyed over UAA rivals, with the win WU volleyball improved to 30-1 all-time against the Tartans.
Despite the relatively easy victory on Saturday, No. 13 Emory presented WU with another stern test on Sunday. However, unlike the Webster match the Bears jumped on the Golden Eagles early and sailed out in front in the first two games (30-22, 30-19) and then held off a late charge by Emory to seal the victory 30-28 in the third game. Houck again efficiently anchored the WU attack slamming 13 kills on only 20 swings. Sophomore Whitney Smith added nine kills and four blocks while Winter chipped in nine kills and 15 digs.
Last up on the tournament docket for the Bears was the unranked Rochester Yellowjackets. In the get away game the Bears looked less dominant, dropping the first game to Rochester 30-25. However, the Bears quickly rebounded to take the next three games (30-18, 30-17, 30-26) to wrap up the weekend sweep and extend the Bears’ UAA winning streak to 33.
Just as the Bears played through WILD severals weeks ago, the Bears will again goes head to head against the presidential debate on Friday. With the Athletic Complex closed the Bears will take on Greensboro College UW-Lacrosse, Illinios College, and Fontbonne at Fontbonne this weekend in the Washington University Midwest Classic.