By Tim Foley, news staff
The Northeastern women’s volleyball team saw its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) competition last weekend, losing the first match and winning the second, while several players battled an illness that spread throughout the team. Friday’s match against the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) resulted in a 3-2 loss, but the Huskies rebounded on Sunday, defeating Elon University in straight sets.
The team was affected by a virus that Head Coach Ken Nichols said “ran rampant” during the weekend road trip. Sophomore middle hitter Caterina Rosander did not play in Friday’s match as a result.
“Megan Kehoe, Alexa Armstrong and Jamie Bredahl were like workhorses playing sick, giving us everything they can [sic] all weekend,” Nichols, who was also sick over the weekend, said.
Northeastern went into Friday’s game with a 16-0 record against (UNCW). The Huskies and the Seahawks (11-5, 1-1 CAA) exchanged points for the majority of the first set. Despite a late lead, the Huskies gave up eight of the following nine points, and fell 25-19.
In the second and third sets, the Northeastern women raised their level of play, gaining a 2-1 lead in the match. The Huskies had three service aces in the second set along with 13 kills from the attack. Sophomore setter Bredahl had five kills in the third set, and Northeastern went on a late run, accumulating a seven-point lead. Senior middle hitter Armstrong added three kills and one block, and the Huskies took the set.
The Huskies played a competitive fourth set, but struggled towards the end. With the score tied at 20, the Seahawks took the lead with two consecutive kills and were able to pull away, winning the set 25-22.
Tied at two sets apiece, the Huskies took off on an early lead in the fifth, but could not hold on. Leading 10-8, Northeastern gave up seven consecutive points to UNCW, and lost the match 3-2.
Nichols said he was denied a second timeout late in the match – an error which made it difficult to strategize in the fifth set.
Freshman middle blocker Taylor Reiter started in place of Rosander against UNCW. Reiter had her season-high 11 kills in the match.
“She’s a very smart player, and also she doesn’t seem really affected by much of the pressure,” Nichols said. “When she gets her opportunities, she’s very composed.”
Following Friday’s loss, the Huskies traveled to Elon University to face the Phoenix (5-12, 0-2 CAA). Northeastern pulled away late in the first set to take early control of the match.
The second set was hard-fought. The Huskies battled back from a five-point deficit to knot the score at 18, but soon faced set point, down 23-24. A kill by Bredahl kept the team alive and they were able to take the next two points, winning the set 26-24.
Freshman setter Kristen Walding had 13 assists in the third set, propelling the Huskies to a 3-0 sweep of the Phoenix.
Sophomore hitters Hannah Fry and Rosander played an important role in Sunday’s match. Both had seven kills in the match, while committing no attack errors. Fry’s hitting percentage was .500 – her season high – while Rosander’s was .467.
Sophomore libero Ashlee Asada had her season high 12 digs against Elon, after posting her year’s best four aces in the match against UNCW.
“I was healthy for the trip, and then I started feeling not-so-well toward the end,” Asada said. “But we all just came together and decided, ‘You know what, when the game starts we’re not sick anymore.’”
The Huskies will look to restore their health as they return home to face the University of Delaware in the first home game against a CAA opponent. The match will take place at the Cabot Center at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Photo by Todd Drexler, Northeastern Athletics
