Last week, the UConn volleyball team (13-3, 2-2) opened conference play with two losses and came into this weekend hungry for momentum. They returned to Storrs and picked up victories over Seton Hall University and St. John’s University, winning both games three sets to one.
The Huskies opened Friday evening against Seton Hall with effective blocking by seniors Emma Werkmeister and Audrey Rome. Werkmeister went on to deliver two service aces to fuel an early UConn run. UConn dominated the rest of the set, holding the Pirates to just 11 points as junior Grace Maria and senior Brenna Wyman each added a pair of aces to seal the set, 25-11.
The second set was much tighter, with both sides trading scores and neither able to break away. Early on, Rome led the UConn attack with four kills that led the Huskies to an 11-8 lead. Although Seton Hall kept it close, they reclaimed the lead 18-15 after capitalizing on UConn miscues. Senior Hanna Tylska and sophomore Loren Winn each buried three kills to bring the Huskies to set point. Seton Hall battled back, though, and Pirates’ freshman Daria Safian carried the team with three kills and a block to end the set, 27-25.
The Huskies remained firing at the service line, as sophomore Anna Herman drilled an ace for the first point of the third set. Werkmeister powered in back-to-back aces to give UConn an early lead. After the Pirates tied it at 12, the Huskies went on a 5-0 run fueled by an ace and a kill from Wyman. UConn kept up that momentum with a relentless attack after consecutive kills from Rome further extended the lead. Sophomore McKenna Brand capped off the set with an ace, the Huskies winning 25-16.
UConn capitalized on early mistakes by Seton Hall to jump out to an 8-3 lead in the fourth set after Werkmeister and Herman teamed up for a monster block to shut down the Pirates. Werkmeister and Maria powered the Huskies to a 19-12 lead, but Seton Hall found some life as a pair of kills from senior Asli Subasili brought them to within three points. Aces from Werkmeister and Brand helped keep the Pirates away as a kill from Tylska secured the match with a kill, as the Huskies won the fourth set 25-19.
Werkmeister looked impressive as ever with 12 kills and seven aces to tie her career high. Tylska led the team in scoring with 16 kills, seeming confident in every swing.
“I felt really good, my setter trusted me, my teammates trusted me and I just felt like I knew what I needed to do with the ball,” Werkmeister noted in an interview on the UConn+ broadcast.
The Huskies were just as impressive defensively, coming up with key blocks and junior libero Isabella Suhy led the squad tying a career-high 16 digs.
UConn took on the St. John’s Red Storm on Saturday evening, and the match started with a tightly contested first set. Rome came out swinging as she delivered three of the first four kills for the Huskies. Maria and Herman each delivered aces as UConn tried to pull away, but the Red Storm continued to find answers. Suhy notched an ace to give the Huskies a 13-10 lead, but another run by St. John’s quickly tied it back up at 16. Kills from Tylska and Winn helped string together a 5-1 run to give the Huskies a 21-17 lead. The Red Storm once again rallied to tie it at 22, but UConn managed to shake it off and Werkmeister capped off a nail-biting 25-23 set with a strong kill.
The Huskies continued their momentum early in the second set with an ace from Werkmeister and errors by the Red Storm. They pushed the lead up to 12-8 after a kill by Winn, but once again St. John’s managed to rally. It remained tightly contested for much of the set, but key kills and blocks from the visitors gave them late momentum, which they rode to a 25-22 victory in set two.
The third set began just as competitively, each side driving in aces to keep the score tight. St. John’s was the first to build a lead, going up 10-7 after a few mistakes by the Huskies. Tylska and Werkmeister led a powerful response from UConn, taking seven of the next ten. St. John’s tried to stage another comeback, but this time the lead proved too much as UConn sealed the set 25-20.
Werkmeister started the first set with authority, powering in two aces to push the Huskies to a commanding 8-3 lead. UConn never looked back, as Rome and Winn ignited the offense to give the Huskies a 21-11 lead. The Red Storm went on to score seven of the next eight, but the Huskies’ lead proved to be insurmountable after a kill by Herman finished off the final set 25-19.
The Huskies proved their resilience with dominant performances after a disappointing start to conference play. Now standing at 2-2 in the Big East, they go back on the road next week to face Xavier at 6 p.m. on Friday and Butler at 5 p.m. Saturday. Both games can be streamed live on ESPN+.