The UConn volleyball team (15-5, 4-4) returned to Storrs this weekend, where they notched a win over their fellow Big East foe Georgetown University and fell to Villanova University.
On Friday, Oct. 17, the Huskies took control early against the Georgetown Hoyas. They delivered serious pressure at the service line, including an ace from junior Isabella Suhy and two more by senior Emma Werkmeister that powered UConn to a 12-3 lead. Werkmeister got hot down the stretch, connecting for two kills and another pair of aces that brought the Huskies to set point. Senior Audrey Rome’s kill capped off the set 25-11.
Werkmeister’s dominance continued into the second set, with two kills and an ace keeping the score level as the Hoyas kept it competitive. Rome and senior Hanna Tylska led the UConn offense with two kills each, but Georgetown found late momentum, jumping out to a 21-18 advantage. The Huskies clawed back to tie it at 22, although the visitors reached set point first. UConn went to score the next four, sparked by consecutive aces from Suhy, to steal the second set, 26-24.
The third set proved to be a back-and-forth contest, with Georgetown claiming an early lead. Aces from junior Grace Maria and senior Brenna Wyman helped UConn tie it back up at 8-8, and momentum began to swing in their favor. A few miscues by the Hoyas aided a 5-2 run that gave the Huskies a three-point lead. The visitors matched that with a run of their own, knotting up the score at 15. Werkmeister then delivered a powerful spike to reach 1000 career kills, and it came at a clutch moment. Three quick kills by Rome helped UConn extend their lead as they made it to match point. A block off the hands of graduate student Doga Kutlu sealed it, 25-23.
A dominant performance by the Huskies was a welcome sign as they looked to stabilize in conference play. Rome led the offense with 13 kills, and the libero Suhy had a career high in aces with four, contributing to the team’s 13 total.
However, the main story of the match was Werkmeister’s milestone night, as she finished with 12 kills on the evening and 5 service aces. She became just the 15th Husky to reach 1000 kills and continues to lead the UConn attack with 260 on the season.
On Saturday, Oct. 18, UConn matched up with the Villanova Wildcats, in a tense game from beginning to end. Werkmeister paced the Huskies’ offense early on, as both sides stayed even throughout the set. Neither team led by more than two points until the Wildcats grabbed a crucial break point to reach set point. Kutlu delivered a kill to keep UConn’s hopes alive before a kill from Villanova sealed the first set, 25-22.
The Huskies got off to a better start in the second set, with Kutlu and Tylska steering them to an early three-point advantage. An ace from Wyman and another Werkmeister kill pushed the lead to 13-8 as UConn looked to respond after dropping the first set. The Wildcats didn’t make it so easy, however, battling back to erase the deficit and tie it back up at 18-18. After tense rallies down the stretch, Villanova benefitted from costly errors by the Huskies, taking the set 25-23.
The third set began sloppy on both ends, as each team struggled with miscues that kept the score tied 8-8 early on. An ace by Wyman and kills from Rome and Werkmeister gave UConn a three-point lead, but once again Villanova fought back. A Wildcat rally flipped the score and put the Huskies’ backs against the wall. However, several errors from the visitors gave UConn an opportunity, and they capitalized as Maria’s kill won the set for the Huskies, 25-23.
Rome sparked the UConn offense to begin the fourth set with three early kills, and two more by Maria brought them to a 10-8 lead. Although the Wildcats responded with a back-breaking 8-0 run and suddenly the Huskies were down big. Villanova stifled the hosts defensively for much of the set with key blocks to maintain the lead. UConn finally broke through just when it seemed like the visitors would run away with the set, taking seven of the next nine points and reaching set point first. A service ace by the Wildcats proved to be a game-changing point, as they would score on match point to cap off the set 26-24 in a heartbreaking finish for the Huskies.
UConn suffered their first home loss of the season as they dropped to 4-4 in the Big East. They will look to put the disappointing finish behind them with more tough competition coming to Storrs next week, No. 13 Creighton University and Providence College. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.