On Friday, Oct. 14, the Wesleyan volleyball team ventured to the campus of nearby Trinity College in Hartford to square off against two NESCAC rivals on a neutral court. The first match for the Cardinals came against Conn College. Wes took the first set by a count of 25-21 but could not continue its momentum into the next set, dropping it 25-18. The third set turned out to be as contentious as it was pivotal. Conn College took the back-and-forth set, which was not decided until the Camels put away a winner to make the score 27-25. Wes could not force that decisive fifth set, as the fourth set was won comfortably by Conn College, 25-16.
The next day presented Wes with a daunting challenge in Tufts, which came into the match with a 16-3 record, including a 6-1 record in NESCAC play. The Jumbos asserted themselves early with a convincing 25-14 triumph in the first set. Wes responded admirably in the second set, taking the stanza by a count of 25-23, but Tufts dominated the third with a score of 25-10 before coasting to a 25-18 fourth set and a 3-1 match victory.
Top performers on the weekend for Wes were Monica Leslie ’14 and Sara Warnock ’15. Leslie bolstered her already-impressive offensive numbers by registering a team-high 23 kills over the two matches and adding seven blocks. Warnock, who had been sidelined for much of the season due to an injury, had the best match of her career against Conn College, smashing home 12 kills against the Camels. Claire Larson ’15 assumed the setting duties over the weekend and averaged a solid seven assists per set.
The two conference losses drop Wes to a record of 5-15 (1-6 NESCAC) on the season, with the next action coming at home on Tuesday, Oct. 18, against Rhode Island College. The squad will also spend its fall break hard at work, as the Cardinals will head to Western Connecticut State for the Colonial Classic on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22 with three matches on their weekend slate.
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