Last weekend marked the midway point of the No. 10 WashU volleyball team’s season, and the Bears started the second half strong with two dominant victories.

The Bears traveled up to Stevens Point, Wisconsin to play three tough non-conference opponents in the Papa John’s Invite on Oct. 3 and 4. They ended the tournament 2-1, splitting Friday’s games against Augsburg University and No. 20 Gustavus Adolphus College before defeating No. 5 University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire on Saturday.

Augsburg 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-23)

In the first set, WashU set the tone for the match by jumping out to a lead on Augsburg. As Augsburg creeped back, taking a small 12-10 lead, WashU executed a quick middle attack that broke their rhythm and sparked a run for the Bears. WashU swept the rest of the set, finishing it off with a seven-point run to 25. 

“We always talk about approaching one thing at a time. So, on a weekend like this when we have three games, we approach each game with the same mentality and play each game point by point,” senior Anna Freeman wrote in a statement to Student Life. “This helps us stay consistent, focus on the present, and always compete to our best ability.”

The second set opened with a back and forth battle, tying the score at 4-4. An ace from Freeman ignited a run, putting them back in control of the set. With a four point run at the end of the set and a kill from Sam Buckley, WashU claimed the set at 25-21. 

In the third set, Augsburg pulled ahead in a 12-8 lead, capitalizing off of a series of kills. WashU responded with a four-point run to tie the game once again. However, Augsburg did not lose momentum, taking back the lead with a five-point run. Both teams creeped towards the 25 point finish line, tying once again at 21-21 before WashU put in a final push with a series of kills to secure the three-set win, finishing at 25-23. 

Even in the tightest moments of the match, the Bears’ cohesion and positivity carried them through.

“Another part of our mindset that I love is that we play for each other, for the love of the game, and to have fun,” Freeman wrote. 

Gustavus Adolphus 3-2 (26-24, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22, 15-13)

WashU’s second game of the day against Gustavus Adolphus College began with a slow crawl, with each team alternating points and tying at 7-7. Gustavus Adolphus broke away with a five-point run, only for it to be handed back to them by a four-point run by WashU, putting both teams at a 12-11 standoff. After knotting the score at 18 each, both teams responded with their own three-point surge, keeping the set up in the air. A weak set by the Lions gave the Bears the opening they needed, setting up a quick kill to give the momentum needed to close the set 26-24.

In set two, the Lions built momentum fast, doubling WashU’s points at 18-9. In a strong push to tie the game, WashU went on a 10-4 point run, putting the score at 22-19. WashU, however, could not maintain the momentum and forfeited the last three points of the set, giving Gustavus Adolphus a 25-19 set two win. 

Set three began with a strong 12-7 lead by the Bears, but Gustavus Adolphus battled back for a fourpoint run. After brief ties at 21-21 and 22-22, Gustavus Adolphus put in a strong push for the set three victory, finishing at 25-22. 

In set four, the two teams began with a tight back-and-forth, not giving opportunities for any breakaways and tying at 13-13. WashU, determined to regain control of the game, capitalized off of their strong defense with 18 digs by first-year Abby Krause, fueling a six-point run. 

“Approaching games with the mindset ‘one point at a time’ helps us come back from deficits,” Freeman wrote. “We try to keep our mindset and style consistent, no matter the score, because that really helps us achieve our flow state as a team.”

The Bears held onto their lead for the remainder of the set, sealing it with a Freeman kill to secure the 25-22 win.

Gustavus Adolphus sprinted out of the gates on set five, holding an 8-3 lead. In a determined run, the Bears pulled within one point, almost tying it at 8-7. As the two teams inched towards the finish line, Gustavus Adolphus fought to a 13-10 lead, with WashU closing in bringing it to 14-12. However, Gustavus Adolphus closed the set out with a swift kill, ending the set at 15-13. 

“After each loss, there is always a lesson to learn; our team works very hard to adjust and learn from each game,” Freeman wrote, citing the loss as an opportunity to reflect and begin the next game stronger. 

UW-Eau Claire, 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-22, 25-20)

The Bears closed the tournament on a high note with a win against a ranked opponent, defeating UW–Eau Claire in four sets.

WashU came out hot, taking a 7-2 lead to start the first set. However, the Blugolds quickly bounced back with a 6-0 run to take the lead, which they then steadily expanded to as much as four points. The Bears had the final word though, ending the set with a dominant 7-1 run to win 25-23.

UW–Eau Claire then showed the Bears why they’re ranked fifth in Division III, starting the second set with a 4-0 run. WashU would go on to lose the set 16-25. 

The third set, however, was a different story. WashU took control with an early 3-0 lead and never trailed. While UW–Eau Claire made them fight for the set, cutting the deficit to one point, the Bears held the Blugolds off to win 25-22.

In the fourth set, UW–Eau Claire took control early, but the Bears came back with two separate 4-0 runs to take their first lead of the set 18-17. WashU closed the game with a dominant 5-1 run, winning the final set 25-20.

Despite tallying less points and kills overall, the Bears led the Blugolds in kill percentage, demonstrating their offensive precision. Buckley directed their attack with 47 assists, while junior hitter Leah Oyewole had 19 kills.

Oyewole tallied double-digit kills in all three games while Buckley had 115 assists over the weekend. Both were named to the All-Tournament Team. Junior libero Ellie Laird also put up an incredible tournament performance, averaging 4.6 digs per set.

With their 2-1 performance over the weekend, WashU improved to 13-4 on the season and rose to second in the University Athletic Association conference rankings. 

The Bears look to carry their momentum into the next week, when they will face Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University in the second UAA Round Robin on Oct. 12.