In its second-to-last home series of the season, the Northeastern volleyball team (9-12, 5-7 CAA) dominated the Hampton University Pirates (1-24, 0-14 CAA) in three straight sets wins Nov. 1 and 2.
In the first matchup, freshman opposite hitter Emma Rowell led in kills with 12, sophomore setter Arina Sosinovica led in assists with 22 and, for the first time this season, sophomore outside hitter Brynn Smith and graduate student outside hitter Svenja Rodenbüsch led in digs, with eight each.
As Hampton took an early 5-3 lead, Northeastern fired back with three kills and two blocks to lead 8-5. The teams added two points each before the Huskies added another six straight points, leading 16-7.
Northeastern maintained a nine-point lead with the score 20-11 until Hampton took a timeout to reset. As the Pirates stood in rigid lines listening to their coach and the Huskies huddled together and danced, it was clear that Northeastern had no worries going forward.
A kill by freshman setter Sofia King brought it to set point. Despite giving up one point off a bad set, an error on Hampton’s part gave Northeastern the set, 25-15.
Northeastern’s domination of the first set seemed to waver in the beginning of the second as the Huskies fell behind 11-10. The teams exchanged kills before a four-point streak increased Northeastern’s lead to 16-12. With Northeastern up 18-14, the Pirates used a time out to reset themselves. While Hampton used the entirety of the break, Northeastern was back on the court with time to spare, ready to take the set win.
Out of the timeout, Northeastern notched another three points off an error by Hampton; an ace by Sosinovica; and a kill by Rodenbüsch from a tap over the net, assisted by Smith from the ground. Hampton used its final timeout of the set and managed to get a kill and an ace, but Northeastern answered right back with three points to bring it to set point. A kill by Hampton delayed the inevitable before Rowell fired down a kill of her own to end the set 25-18.
As “Monster Mash” played through the Cabot speakers and the Northeastern players danced, it was clear the Huskies were confident about the third set ahead. The beginning was back-and-forth until, with a narrow 8-6 lead, the Huskies took five of the next seven points to go up 13-7. Then, a bad serve for Sosinovica sent Hampton’s sophomore setter Ida Wiszomirska behind the service line, where she notched three consecutive aces to cut Northeastern’s lead back to 13-11.
Unfortunately for Hampton, the Huskies weren’t done yet. A kill by Rowell and an ace for Rodenbüsch livened the Cabot audience and their teammates. Hampton took the next two, but five consecutive points gave Northeastern a seven point lead at 20-13. The teams exchanged points before Hampton answered back with a four-point streak of its own, but it wasn’t enough to stop Northeastern. A kill by Rodenbüsch won the set 25-21 and the game in three straight sets.
Sunday’s matchup reflected what every senior day should: a dominant performance by the seniors and strong promise from the underclassmen. With alumni, players’ families and fans filling the Cabot Center, the pep band’s instruments blasting songs and a flurry of kills, the Huskies delivered in a dominating three set win over the Hampton Pirates.
With senior libero Nadia Koanui, the team’s leader in digs and aces, behind the service line, the Huskies felt at ease and began their demoralization of the Pirates with an eight-point streak in the first set, leading 10-1. Northeastern’s dominance forced Hampton to use both of its timeouts by the time the score was 12-2, and the Huskies did not let up the rest of the way, taking the set 25-10.
Koanui has been huge for Northeastern this season: fifth in the conference in digs per set, seventh in the conference in aces, CAA Defensive Player of the Week during Week 1 — and it doesn’t end there. More than just statistically, the captain is huge in every way, leading by example, communicating on the court and diving for balls that most would have given up on to keep Northeastern in close matchups. With her final season slipping away, Koanui credits her teammates for making it so memorable.
“Due to injuries, I’m probably no longer going to be playing volleyball past college. I’m gonna wrap up that book,” Koanui said. “I’m just trying to go out with a bang, have fun and overall, I’m very, very close with these girls. I love all the underclassmen and the seniors. I just really want to cherish each moment that I have left for them because seeing them every day is really what makes this year special to me.”
Although Hampton took the first point of the second set, it was senior libero Ellie Williams who notched her second kill of the season to begin a scoring streak for Northeastern, making the Huskies’ bench go wild. After getting the momentum from the beginning of the set, the Huskies never looked back. With the score 11-9 Northeastern, the team took eight of the next nine points to increase its lead to 19-10. A kill by sophomore middle blocker Zehra Yilmaz sealed the set as the Huskies once again dominated the Pirates with a 25-16 set win.
From the moment Northeastern’s public address announcer Jefferson Mills began talking about Williams during the senior day ceremony, Cabot was electrified with fan and alumni support. Williams spent all four years of college with the Huskies, and despite only playing in 47 sets over her career, has left her impact. Head coach Brendan McGourn described her as the “heart and soul of the team.” When she is off the court, it is difficult to find a moment where Williams is not cheering, dancing or talking to her teammates to hype them up.
Whether it was the excitement of senior day getting to the Huskies’ heads or their struggles on their home court haunting them on Halloweekend, the third set was not as simple as the first and second.
After Rodenbüsch notched the first point of the set for the Huskies, they seemed to be rolling, going up 14-7. But this didn’t last long enough. Northeastern surrendered 10 of the next 12 points, falling behind 17-16. Yet, as is fitting for senior day, Rodenbüsch fired off a powerful kill that brought the energy back for Northeastern. The two teams battled back and forth, but an ace for Williams tied the set at 21 and built the excitement more and more. Rodenbüsch, riding the momentum, notched her sixth kill of the game to put the Huskies ahead 23-22, forcing Hampton to use a timeout.
Rodenbüsch may be a rookie Husky, but her years playing at Fairfield University prepared her to be everything Northeastern needed. Rodenbüsch simply does it all; she is second on the team in kills and digs, fourth in aces and fifth in blocks and assists. Rodenbüsch’s constant smile contrasts the intensity of her kills, and she couldn’t lose her grin at the end of the set.
“Svenja is just such a consistent player and does all the right things on and off the court,” McGourn said.
Despite Hampton taking the first point out of the timeout, it was clear that this game was the Huskies’. A bad serve by Hampton put the ball back in the Huskies’ hands, and with all three seniors in the game, a kill by Rowell sent them off the court for one of the last times as the pep band played the victory song.
As the seniors held flowers and plaques and talked to their families and alumni in the stands, the underclassmen headed into the locker room with a lot to be proud of: Smith and Rowell notched 13 and 11 kills, respectively, to lead the team, sophomore setter Arina Sosinovica led in assists with 23 and, overall, it was a strong team win that featured 14 Northeastern players on the court.
With four games remaining against the two toughest teams in the conference and a CAA playoff berth on the line, it’ll be up to the seniors to leave it all out on the court. It’ll be their final chance to have “Northeastern” across their chests in the playoffs and for the underclassmen to elevate the seniors’ play, cementing a legacy they can continue to build off of.
“I’ve never been a part of such a group where the freshmen are not only talented but amazing, amazing people,” Koanui said. “I am truly jealous of the fact that this amazing group is coming in during my last season. I’m heartbroken. I wish I could go back in time [and] spend the next four years as they grow and develop, because if you look at them, they’re so good for their age. You just know they are gonna take this program and run with it.”
