Women’s volleyball improved their overall record to 15-4 after dropping one game and winning four others between Friday, Sept. 21 and Tuesday, Sept. 25. UR’s four wins came against York College of Pennsylvania (3-2), Ramapo College (3-0), Bridgewater College (3-0) and St. John Fisher College (3-0). The ’Jackets’ lone loss on the week came at the hands of a talented Elizabethtown College squad, which boasts an impressive 14-3 record.
In their first two games at the Days Inn Blue Jay Classic hosted by Elizabethtown College on Friday, Sept. 21, UR first faced off against York and then battled host Elizabethtown. Against York, the Yellowjackets battled back from a 2-1 set deficit winning the final three sets to take the game. However, the roles were reversed against Elizabethtown in the second game. The ’Jackets were up two sets to one, and the Blue Jays took the last three sets, swiping the win.
Given the length of these two games, many of UR’s players posted impressive stats. Senior outside hitter Kelley Mulrey had 43 kills as well as 40 digs between the two games. Junior middle blocker Savannah Benton recorded nine blocks, senior defensive specialist Lauren Bujnicki dug 59 and sophomore setter Li Xiaoyi notched 65 assists. As challenging as the first two matches were for UR, the next two were comparatively routine for the ’Jacketss’ talented squad.
The yellow and blue bested Ramapo and Bridgewater in straight sets in the last two games of the classic, played on Saturday, Sept. 22. Mulrey posted 17 kills between the two games and sophomore defensive specialist Dori Rohan recorded eight digs as well as four aces against Ramapo.
Due to their noteworthy performance throughout the classic, Mulrey and Benton were named to the All-Tournament Team. UR’s 3-1 record was good for 2nd place in the classic while host Elizabethtown took first with a 4-0 record.
After this weekend’s success, the ’Jackets continued their run by taking care of the St. John Fisher Cardinals in straight sets on Tuesday, Sept. 25. This was UR’s third straight 3-0 win and they look to continue their winning streak against UAA foe 13-1 Washington University in St. Louis on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Gauthier is a member of the class of 2014.