Dan DaranciangRiding a wave of motivation after losing their first and only match of the regular season, the Washington University volleyball team won their first two games in the NCAA tournament this past weekend, advancing to the Elite Eight in Salem, Virginia.
After a first round bye, the Bears faced No. 9 Carlton on Friday. Coming out strong, the Bears led almost the entire way, eventually winning the match 3-0 (30-13, 30-22, 30-18).
Led by junior Whitney Smith’s 14 kills, three other Bears had double-digit kills, including first team All-American senior Megan Houck, third team All-American sophomore Haleigh Spencer and honorable mention sophomore Emilie Walk.
Spencer finished with a double-double, adding 14 digs to her already impressive 10 kills. Not to be overlooked was first team All-American setter senior Kara Liefer, who finished the match with six kills, 38 assists and 11 digs.
“We moved the ball around well on offense,” said University Head Coach Rich Luenemann. “Everybody scored points, and [junior libero] Amy Bommarito had an outstanding passing match.”
In the regional championship, the Bears came up against a tough and intimidating No. 3 St. Thomas team.
“It is a tough environment to play in,” said Luenemann. “St. Thomas is a very nice team that should be ranked higher than No. 13.”
In a match decided by three very close and hard-fought games, the Bears came out victorious, defeating St. Thomas 3-0 (30-27, 30-24, 30-25). The All-Americans shined again, as Liefer was once again a dominating force, ending with seven kills, 38 assists and seven digs, while hitting .667 in the match.
Trailing 14-9 in the second game, the Bears knotted up the score at 22 each, when Walk and Smith took control of the reins and led the squad on a 7-0 run.
Walk made a key block that sustained the run with the Bears up by two and the Tommies being aggressive. Smith followed suit with a double block, and the Bears kept the ball rolling en route to a 30-24 victory in game two.
“Emilie is one of the best middle blockers I have ever coached,” Luenemann said. “She has an incredible ability to read the opposing hitters, which is why she is a great blocker.”
Walk and Houck each contributed 11 kills, while Smith added another 10. The Bears defense, which has been led by the solid play of senior Nicole Hodgman and junior libero Amy Bommarito all season, was a major factor in the victory. Hodgman ended with 12 digs, while Bommarito added another 16 of her own.
“Our biggest strength [tonight] was our offensive balance,” said Luenemann. “One of our primary goals was to control their left sides. We were able to limit their attack, and that was a big reason for our success.”
With the two victories, the Bears take the Regional Title and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals for the 18th time in school history. The Bears will face La-Verne University in the next round. In the field of eight, the Bears have already defeated five of the other teams, with a combined game record of 15-7.