It was an up-and-down week for the women’s volleyball team. The squad split two games on Saturday and dropped its match Thursday against Emerson College, the weekend victory providing a silver lining in what has thus far been a trying season.

Judges 0, Roger Williams 3

On Saturday, the Judges fell in their game to Roger Williams University, suffering a 3-0 match shutout. Despite career days from outside hitter Grace Krumpack ’19, who led the Judges with 13 kills, and setter Allison Harmsworth ’19, who tallied a total of 24 assists, the Judges did not have enough to overcome a stifling offensive attack and dominant defensive performance from the Hawks. The Hawks won all three matches with ease, claiming victory 25-19, 25-14 and 25-19, respectively. The Hawks’ .234 hitting percent, compared to the Judges’ .011 hitting percent, proved to be a decisive factor in the victory. Another notable statistic was the 10 blocks for the Hawks, compared to the Judges’ 4 blocks. The Hawks’ balanced offensive and defensive effort ultimately proved too much for the seemingly flat Judges. The loss dropped the Judges to 3-11 and brought Roger Williams above .500, landing them at 7-6. 

Judges 3, Simmons 0

The team’s other Saturday matchup proved much more successful. Taking on the Simmons College Sharks, the Judges used seven blocks, four by middle hitter Maddie Engeler ’16, to propel them to victory. Foreshadowing the career match against Roger Williams, Harmsworth dazzled, netting a total of 18 assists in the match. In similar fashion, Krumpack led the offensive attack, finishing with eight kills while also totaling 15 digs. The Judges used a strong start, winning their first game 25-14, to carry momentum through the rest of the match. Though the sets got tighter, the Judges escaped the next two, winning 25-22 and 25-21, respectively, to clinch the victory. 

The victory shed light on the squad’s potential and provided a reason for celebration in what has otherwise been a season of disappointment. With the win, the Judges improved to 3-10 on the year, while Simmons dropped to 4-4.

Judges 0, Emerson 3

The squad’s other match, taking place Thursday against Emerson College, was a back-and-forth battle that ultimately ended in disappointment. Despite momentum-swinging runs for both squads, the Judges were never able to score more than 20 in a game, twice managing only 17 points. In the end, they fell in three consecutive matches, 17-25, 17-25 and 20-25, respectively. It was the Lions’ relative offensive dominance that made way for their decisive victory, as their hitting percentage of .172 greatly outmatched the Judges’ .020 hitting percentage. With 4.0 blocks a piece and only one dig separating the two teams’ totals, it was clear that the Judges’ failure to consistently hit left the door open for Emerson to claim victory. Outside hitter Jessie Moore ’18 led the Judges’ offensive attack with 8 kills, 1 ace and a block assist. On the defensive end, rookie Leah Pearlman ’19 led the way with a match-high 12 digs. The loss dropped the Judges to 2-10 on the season, while Emerson rose to 5-4 following the victory. 

Looking ahead, the Judges will return to action Saturday, Oct. 3 after a weekend off, participating in the first of two University Athletic Association round-robins at host New York University.