By Tim Foley, news staff
It was another tough couple of games for the Northeastern University women’s volleyball team, which fell in four sets to both the University of Delaware and the College of Charleston this week.
The loss to Charleston on Tuesday marked the halfway point of the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) season, in which the Huskies have a 1-7 record. The sole conference win came against Elon University on Sept. 25.
Northeastern’s record is now4-19 overall. It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Huskies, who are looking to regroup as they prepare to meet all of their league opponents a second time.
The Huskies started strong against the Blue Hens (10-11, 2-6 CAA) on Sunday. Freshman outside hitter Laynie Whitehead had her best game of the year. She entered the game in the first set and provided two early kills. Whitehead finished the game with 12 kills, her career-high at Northeastern.
The Huskies scored 11 of the last 14 points to finish a dominant first set, 25-14.
Whitehead had a huge second set, totaling seven kills, but the Huskies were unable to secure the second set. Northeastern led 17-16, but Delaware’s attack laid down four straight kills to take a decisive lead and win the set, 25-19.
The Huskies struggled in the third. After trailing 8-2, the Northeastern women couldn’t chip away at Delaware’s lead and only managed 12 points in the frame.
Senior outside hitter Cherylain Dizon came up with three kills to help cut the deficit in the fourth, but the Huskies fell 25-20, losing the match.
Tuesday was the make-up for the Huskies’ game against the College of Charleston, which was postponed from Oct. 4 due to inclement weather.
With not much time to recover after Sunday’s match, the Huskies struggled in the first set against the Cougars (12-10, 4-4 CAA).
Charleston jumped out toa 10-2 lead, and the Huskies could not come back, only scoring 11 points in the set.
Northeastern has found a way to win at least one set in its last eight games, refusing to be swept. On Tuesday the Huskies looked strongest in the second.
The team trailed early, but a kill from junior middle hitter Caterina Rosander (seven kills) tied the score at 15. The two teams went back and forth, with Northeastern eventually tying the score at 25.
Dizon had two crucial kills that boosted the Huskies’ score, helping them win the set 31-29.
After battling for so long in the second, fatigue started to set in, and the Huskies fell behind in the third and fourth sets, unable to put up more than 20 points in either frame.
Sophomore outside hitter Brigitte Burcescu led the team with 12 kills, and junior setter Jamie Bredahl posted a double-double with 23 assists and 15 digs.
The four-set loss marked the end of a five-game road trip for the Huskies, who will return home to face the College of Charleston again on Friday at 7 p.m.
Photo by Brian Bae.
