This past weekend, the Northeastern volleyball team (10-10, 8-6 CAA) faced off against the College of Charleston (10-15, 7-7 CAA) in back-to-back matches at the Cabot Center. Northeastern won in straight sets Saturday, but lost in five sets to the Cougars Sunday.
Saturday, the opening set was competitive, with both teams trading points and no team leading by more than two the entire set. Charleston began the set with two straight points, getting an early kill and block. Northeastern fought back, getting its first kill from senior outside hitter Defne Arliel. Kills from graduate student middle blocker Anabel Zier and freshman outside hitter Abby Reck added points for the Huskies, but the Cougars continued to score as well.
Midway through the set, graduate student outside hitter Julianna Truscott made a commanding kill to give Northeastern the lead 13-12. Consecutive service and attack errors from Charleston gave Northeastern a two-point lead, 16-14. After that, the Huskies remained in the lead with more kills from Zier, Truscott and even a rare setter kill from graduate student setter Inbal Peleg, which excited the crowd.
A block error from the Cougars pulled Northeastern to set point, 24-21, and a Charleston attack error handed the Huskies the first-set win 25-22.
The Huskies opened set two with a combined block from Zier and Truscott. Consecutive kills from Zier and Arliel gave the Huskies an early 5-1 lead. However, after a few errors from Northeastern and back-to-back kills from Charleston, the match tied up at 8-8.
Northeastern regrouped and rallied back to regain the lead after aces from junior outside hitter Sahitya Krishnamurthy, a kill from Truscott and another ace from freshman libero/defensive specialist Tessa Onaga; the Huskies led 13-9. From then on, the Huskies continued to lead the set. Tough serves from senior libero/defensive specialist Maddie Donaphon gave the Huskies a 21-14 lead.
Charleston tried to fight back, earning three consecutive points, but Northeastern was determined to close the set. Reck finished it with a kill, giving the Huskies set two, 25-18.
The 2-0 set lead gave the Huskies all the momentum they needed to dominate the third set. While the Cougars got off to an early 3-0 lead, the Huskies tied it up 3-3 with kills from Arliel and Zier. The teams traded points back and forth early on, but after a commanding kill from Zier, it was all Northeastern.
Kills from Reck and Zier gave the Huskies a more than comfortable lead at 13-6, but Peleg got another setter kill, pulling them up even further to 15-6. Charleston got two points back, bringing the score to 15-8. Kills late in the set from Reck and attack errors from the Cougars set the score to 23-11 Northeastern.
With a kill, Virthe pulled the Huskies to set point, 24-11. A tool from Arliel closed out the match, Northeastern winning the third set 25-14.
The Huskies’ 10 aces and Zier’s team-high six blocks helped the Huskies win the first game of the weekend, 3-0.
Sunday, Northeastern faced a tough loss against the Cougars in five long sets at Cabot. While Arliel had her second double-double of the season (15 kills, 24 digs), and Truscott had her third double-double of the season (10 kills, 15 digs), it was not enough to win. The Huskies lost the fifth set 7-15.
This weekend, Northeastern went 1-1 in its games against William and Mary (12-12, 7-7 CAA). Next weekend, the Huskies take on Towson (20-5, 13-2 CAA) at home.
