The UConn women’s volleyball team finished its season strong with a two-game sweep of Seton Hall (4-7). The team concluded with an overall record of 4-6, going 4-4 in conference play. The Huskies finished third in their division, behind St. John’s and Providence.
The first set of Game 1 saw UConn dart out to a 12-3 lead. The Huskies forced Seton Hall into numerous errors and were dictating play off of their fantastic serving. The Pirates accumulated nine attacking errors in the opening set and looked totally out of sorts. Everything was clicking for UConn, as they racked up 14 kills and captured the first set 25-15.
The second set was significantly more competitive than the first. The score was tied on eight separate occasions, as both teams dug deep and tried to steal the momentum from the opposing side. The Huskies were able to keep their nose in front through the majority of the set and closed it out 25-22, off back-to-back kills from Jasmine Davis and Genna Florig.
The Pirates looked to be turning things around in the third set as they committed only four attacking errors and held the lead during a good portion of the set. UConn began making mistakes they had avoided in the first two sets but was still able to hang around and come up with massive plays when needed. Seton Hall was three points away from the third set serving up 22-21, when the Huskies went on a 4-1 run to close out the set 25-23.
UConn concluded Game 1 as the more aggressive and consistent squad. The Huskies finished the game with 19 more kills and two fewer errors than the Pirates. Caylee Parker led the team in kills with 11, while Courtney Morris notched the most assists with 21.
Game 2 of the series served as senior night for the Huskies. Ally Barrett, Isabelle Peterson, Florig and Morris all received recognition before their last game as Huskies.
UConn came out of the gates strong on senior night, as six different players recorded a kill in the first set. The Huskies had a remarkable attacking percentage of .406 in the first set and posted 17 kills. Seton Hall was able to stay within striking distance early in the set, but UConn pulled away in the middle of the first set and took it 25-17.
Seton Hall quickly put a disappointing first set behind them and played a spectacular second set. The Huskies did not produce many miscues, but Seton Hall caught fire in the second set. The Pirates notched 16 kills, including six from Reagan Hopp. A Hopp kill off a Cagla Bengi assist wrapped up a 25-16 second set in favor of the Pirates.
After dropping the first point of both the third and fourth sets, the Huskies never trailed again in either of those two sets. Across these sets, UConn smacked 33 kills to only six attacking errors. The Huskies were flying around the court and swinging with confidence, determined to send their seniors out in style. It did not take long for UConn to seal the third set 25-18 and the fourth set 25-21. The match ended fittingly, as Florig recorded a kill on the last point of her collegiate career.
Although UConn did not qualify for the Big East Tournament, they did conclude their season with two emphatic victories. The Huskies will look forward to what will hopefully be a complete season filled with fans next year.
