Junior Leah Oyewole goes for a kill in the Bears’ win over Greenville. (Tamiah Woodfork | Contributing Photographer)

Coming into the weekend, the No. 7 WashU women’s volleyball team was already off to a hot start. The Bears mixed a series of comfortable wins with close victories and clutch plays to the tune of a 6-1 record. This weekend, however, there were no close matches, or rarely even close sets. Instead, the Bears dominated their opponents at home, in the Field House, as the early section of the schedule comes to a close and the team rounds into form on Sept. 13.

Hendrix, 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-15)

The Bears started the weekend strong with a 3-0 win against the Hendrix College Warriors, setting the tone for the following game that same day. 

The first and third sets were defined by a multi-point lead for the Bears. However, the second set started shaky, with the Warriors gaining an upper hand early on, but when the score entered double digits, the Bears regained the lead and didn’t lose it. Despite the second set having a closer result, the Bears coasted through the three sets, maintaining the energy. 

“The team came into the season with a lot of energy and everyone’s bought in. We’ve been really committed to doing the little things — communication, discipline on defense, and staying aggressive and smart,” junior center Naya Ohuabunwa wrote in a statement to Student Life. “We have great depth too and have taken on a next-play mentality, so no matter who’s on the court we keep the same level of intensity. That consistency has made a very big difference early on.”

The setter-outside duo of seniors setter Sam Buckley and center Anna Freeman performed strongly over the Warriors. Buckley is currently fifth in Division III for assists per set with a staggering 38 assists, and Freeman dominated the first game with 11 kills and two blocks. By preventing the other team from scoring and setting up a strong attack, it was no question that the Bears would perform strongly.

The large leads were evidence of a strong conversion rate, which is backed up by the Bears’ leading in kills and assists and having more than double the hitting percentage of the Warriors. The Bears also had to keep the lead with a strong defense, proven by their lead in digs.

Not only does the match against Hendrix set the tone for the following game against Greenville, but it also sets the tone for the upcoming divisional play in the University Athletic Association (UAA). 

“We try to build our practices around the skills we know we need to work on, whether it’s from the week before or just in general,” wrote head coach Vanessa Walby in a statement to Student Life. “Practice is our chance to grow, get better, and keep developing as a team. The more connected and comfortable we are together, the better prepared we’ll be for whoever we play.”

Greenville, 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-20)

The second match of the weekend against the Greenville Panthers was more of the same for the Bears, with a 3-0 result of a match that WashU held firm control of the entire way. The win pushed the Bears to a sparkling 8-1 record.

None of the sets were particularly close. Flurries of points by WashU gave the Bears comfortable leads throughout the match. If you blinked, you’d miss a 6-point barrage from the Bears who certainly didn’t show an ounce of fatigue playing their second match of the day.

“We put in a lot of detailed work before we even step on the floor — breaking down film and running focused drills on what we specifically need to work on that week building off of the last,” Ohuabunwa wrote. “Practices are competitive but supportive, which keeps everyone sharp. By match day, we trust our reps and each other, so we can play loose and confident.”

Buckley continued her strong play with 28 assists, lapping Greenville’s entire squad in assists. 

Buckley, alongside first-year middle back Nia Jones, allowed WashU to be comfortable the whole way. Jones was especially strong on defense, contributing 12 blocks in just 3 sets, a new WashU record.

The wire-to-wire wins were indicative of a team performance strong on all ends. The Bears led Greenville in every statistical category, including total points, kills, assists, digs, and blocks. WashU outscored and out-defended their opponents, setting up teammates for easy points and putting pressure on their opponents.

WashU still has time and a few matches remaining before divisional play in the UAA begins. But early indications look strong and bode well for WashU. The Bears will have to continue their stellar play to capture their first UAA championship title since 2009. They’ll be back at home next weekend for a two-match Saturday against Concordia and Simpson, their last weekend before the first UAA round robin, where WashU really looks to shine.