Shaoheng Chen

Senior Naya Ohuabunwa had 10 kills against St. Olaf this weekend. (Alex Chen | Contributing Photographer)

Last season, WashU women’s volleyball ended their NCAA run with a straight set loss. This season, the Bears began with three straight set wins. 

This past weekend, No. 16 WashU women’s volleyball hosted the WashU Bear Invite, winning three of their first four matches. They swept Wheaton College, Bowdoin College, and University of California, Santa Cruz in three sets, but fell to No. 24 St. Olaf College in a closely contested five-set match. 

A year ago, WashU women’s volleyball established themselves as a team to watch. The Bears finished as the University Athletic Association (UAA) runner-up and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament, where their season ended with a 3-0 loss to the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. That was the Bears’ first time making it past the second round since 2016, and they are determined to go even further this season. 

“I hope getting a taste of that success fuels us for this season and helps our returners to mentor our first-years,” Head Coach Vannessa Walby wrote in a statement to Student Life. 

The WashU Bear Invite was the first glimpse at whether this year’s group can continue their momentum. Walby thinks they can. 

“I think [the NCAA run] was a positive step forward for our program and one I hope we can build off of this season,” Walby wrote in a statement to StudLife. 

Sophomore Avery Reed tosses the ball to serve. (Mateo Kahoun | Contributing Photographer)

The Bears’ 3-0 wins this weekend showed their determination and ability. Sophomore Nia Jones provided a consistent offensive and defensive presence throughout the tournament. Jones, who recorded 204 kills and 105 blocks last season, contributed multiple attacks and blocks in all four matches. Her experience was especially valuable in the five-set battle against St. Olaf, demonstrating the Bears’ ability to stay composed in tight matches. 

The St. Olaf match was the tournament’s defining test. After taking the first set 26-24, the Bears dropped the next two before forcing a fourth set with another 26-24 win. WashU led early in the final set, but St. Olaf answered and held on for a 16-14 victory. 

“I liked seeing how gritty we got in pressure situations and that we weren’t nervous to take big swings,” Walby wrote in a statement to Student Life.  

This upcoming weekend, the Bears will travel to Atlanta to play in the East-West Classic, where they will face some tough competition: No. 8 Colby College, No. 18 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, and No. 4 East Texas Baptist University. They hope to carry their momentum forward into the rest of the season.