WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Hartford volleyball team hosted Wesleyan (Conn.) University on Thursday, falling in straight sets (25-11, 25-16, 25-15).
Rapid Recap:
- The Hawks and Cardinals started the set going point-for-point with two strong kills from freshman Calla McCombs (Bloomfield, N.Y.) and sophomore Lauren Johnson (Fort Collins, Colo.). Soon after, Wesleyan went on a 5-0 run, leaving Hartford at a six-point deficit. In an effort to shorten the lead, senior Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) got her first kill of the night. The Cardinal's lead would be too much to bear for the Hawks, losing in set one with a score of 25-11.
- Hartford caught their first lead of the game at 5-4 at the start of the second set, led by two aces from Freshman Aribella Stephens (St. Louis, Mo.). Wesleyan got back into their groove, going on a 4-0 run but quickly stopped by McCombs, who contributed nine kills for the night. The Hawks hung around as the Cardinals maintained their lead to win the second set.
- With a strong start in the third set, Hartford led 4-1. Closing the margin and taking the lead, Wesleyan followed up with a 17-3 run. Junior Rylee Miller (Sunriver, Ore.) would contribute four kills to try to get the Hawks back into the set, but the Cardinals would hold onto their lead to win set three and secure the sweep.
Inside the Numbers:
- Freshman Amara Rhodes (Merced, Calif.) continuously connected with her teammates, notching 17 assists.
- McCombs led the way with 9 kills and 5 digs. Right behind in kills was Johnson with 7 kills and 1 block assist for the night.
- Stephens contributed 3 out of the 6 team aces.
- Mila Chan led the Cardinals with 12 kills, 2 aces, 6 digs, and 1.5 blocks.
- Wesleyan tripled the Hawks with a hitting percentage of .376.
Post Game Press:
"Tonight showed us the future of our program. Hosting the #1 team in the country in NPI in our own gym, could've been scary for a young team, but instead it was inspiring. Wesleyan is talented, disciplined, and well-coached. We learned valuable lessons in what we have to strive for in the near future to get to that level. Our sights are set on the horizon and we ARE going to get there. Tonight showed us the future of Hartford Volleyball." Head coach
Johan Dulfer said post game.
Up Next:
The Hawks will host a tri-match at the Chase Arena this Saturday, September 26, against Amherst College and Mount Saint Mary College (NY).
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