By Zach Gindi-Chiafullo
With a 2-game winning streak propelling them forward, GW Volleyball (4-4) aimed to beat Loyola. The Revolutionaries managed to sweep the Greyhounds (2-6) on Saturday at home. It was an inspiring, all-out team effort by the Buff and Blue, and they now stand at a .500 record while shining with a 4-2 mark at home.
The first set showcased remarkable team communication and a relentless, aggressive defense from GW. Loyola committed several errors, which GW capitalized on without hesitation, posting a .667 hitting percentage without any errors in the first set.
GW won that set 25-11, with Alexis Rodriguez and Sydney Hasenfratz standing out early with perfect hitting percentages. Overall, Rodriguez finished the game with 12 points and 10 kills.
Setter Abby Markworth recorded 11 assists in just the first set, which played a crucial role in helping GW gain momentum and rack up points. By the end of the match, she achieved an impressive 34 assists, furthering her standout season. Lydia Zeng and Tessa de Albergaria came together to collect 17 of the team’s total 36 digs.
Despite the significant disadvantage and a .000 hitting percentage in the first set, Coach Alijah Pittenger may have found a bright spot in Outside Hitter Ava Nepkin, who led the Greyhounds with 10 kills in the match. Nepkin and setter Kacy Sekunda made their presence on the court felt. However, it was once again the Revolutionaries who prevailed and won the second set 25-18.
Although GW’s hitting percentage dropped to .250 for the set and they had increased errors, Markworth recorded 11 more assists, Rodriguez stacked kills, and GW notched three strong blocks, keeping Loyola’s hitting percentage in the negatives. Additionally, at the end of the set, Outside Hitter Cayla Cogan had 6 kills. She totaled 10 for the match.
As the third set began the Greyhounds showed that they were not done yet, taking an early lead of 4-0. That was until Penelope Hiepler turned the tide for GW, leading off a couple of impactful plays. Taylor Treahy contributed significantly, completing a crucial set-tying kill and showcasing her intensity with a total of 10 kills in the match.
The Revolutionaries found their rhythm again and maintained their intensity. GW achieved a 3-set sweep and improved to 4-4 with three straight wins.
GW will look to extend its winning streak when it faces off against Morgan State University at home to close out the Battle of the Beltways on Sunday.
