WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The No. 11 ranked Wesleyan volleyball team needed just over an hour in a dominant three-set sweep of Hartford on Thursday night from the Chase Arena. Wesleyan (9-0) remains unbeaten on the year and are winners of 20 straight sets, having dropped just two sets in nine matches this season.
The tone was set right from the opener as the two sides traded blows for the first dozen points until a 5-0 Wesleyan run turned into a 13-2 scoring run that put the Cardinals out in front by 12 points. It was a near-flawless display from Wesleyan as the team recorded 10 kills with no errors on 17 swings for a .588 attack percentage in the first set. The Cardinals also posted four blocks in the set to go on and win 25-11.
Siena Steines '28 had a perfect showing, going 6-for-6 on her swings to go along with two block assists for a seven-point set.
Hartford improved in the second set and had the score tied at 7-7 and later trailed 15-13 before the Cardinals used a 6-0 run to make it 21-13 late in the frame. Wesleyan recorded kills on all six of those points in the scoring run as the Cardinals totaled 19 kills in the second set alone with six players landing at least two kills in the set.
Mila Chan '28 led the way, going 6-for-12 on her swings with no errors, as Wesleyan had just two attack errors on 44 attempts, hitting .386 as a team in the second set which the Cardinals went on to win 25-16.
Wesleyan went behind 4-1 early in the third set, only to respond with another 8-0 run to swing momentum and lead 9-4. The Hawks would only get to within four points of Wesleyan's total throughout the remainder of the third set as a 6-0 run in the middle stage of the frame opened a double-digit lead. Chan closed out the match with her 12
th kills to seal the sweep in a 25-15 third set win.
The Cardinals set a season-high, hitting .376 as a team, with 43 kills against just five errors on 101 swings. Wesleyan also tied a season-high with 12 total blocks in the match. Seven Cardinals had at least three kills on the night.
Chan was on fire throughout, landing 12 kills without a single error on 24 swings for a .500 attack percentage. She added two aces and six digs. Steines only played the first set and went 6-for-6 for a perfect night on offense.
Lucy Konisky '30 had five kills on nine attempts from the setter position to go along with 15 assists and four digs.
Ariella Garrell '29 tied for the team-lead with seven digs to go along with four kills and three blocks.
Wesleyan is back in action on Friday night at Amherst for a 7 PM start against the Mammoths in a return to NESCAC action.
