This post was written by Hatchet reporter Camille Herring.
The honeymoon is over.
The Colonials opened up A-10 play this weekend after an out-of-conference schedule that saw them post a ten-game win streak before dropping their last three games. In their first league match Friday, GW fell to Duquesne with a tough 3-1 loss, and dropped their second conference game, 3-0, to Saint Louis two days later.
The games were head coach Amanda Ault’s first A-10 matches with the Colonials, and she said the team went into the weekend viewing it as a fresh slate.
“We were 10-3 [in] preseason, but we just look at it as if [we’re] going in with zero,” Ault said. “It’s a fresh start for everyone in the conference.”
Despite the loss, GW’s (10-5) match Friday was a game of new levels. Junior Lauren Whyte posted double digits twice, slamming 18 kills and scooping 11 digs. She was joined offensively by redshirt junior Katie Crosby with 35 assists to compliment her career-high numbers of eight kills and 17 digs. Providing defensive support, junior Candace Silva-Martin set a team high of 29 digs. But their play wasn’t enough to stave off a dominant Duquesne squad, who swung .307 throughout the match, holding the Colonials to .198.
The opening set was a close one, neck-and-neck throughout most of the set with seven ties. After three lead changes, however, the Dukes pulled out a 25-20 set victory, following with a 25-15 victory in the second set.
The Colonials rallied in the third set, jumping into play with an 11-5 lead. The Dukes continued to battle, though, forcing six ties and five lead changes. Propelled by freshman Christy Harper, who came off the bench to contribute key blocks during the set, GW ultimately snatched the 27-25 victory, forcing a fourth set.
“With refocusing and taking care of ourselves we came back for a fight,” Ault said. “We played like we knew how.”
GW returned for the last set of the game, but couldn’t gather momentum from their hard-fought victory in the third. The Colonials hit a flat note, falling to Duquesne’s controlled game. The Dukes swung .370 on their way to a 25-16 set victory, clinching the match.
The loss, Ault said, came from gaps in the Colonials’ play.
“On the court we were very inconsistent. We do great things and then we sit for a while,”Ault said.
Two days later the Colonials fell to another league rival, defeated in straight sets, 3-0, by Saint Louis.
Though Whyte again led the way with a team-high 11 kills and seven digs, the Colonials lacked the needed momentum in the first set, allowing the Billikens to hit .393 and convert on 75 percent of sideout point opportunities. Posting only a .139 attack percentage, GW dropped the first set 25-20.
GW pinned St. Louis to a .089 attack in the second set, but their solid defensive effort was not enough to make up for the Colonials’ .000 attack percentage and 11 attack errors. Saint Louis clinched the set with a 5-0 run to post a 24-21 set victory. GW’s offensive struggles continued in the last set, hitting a -.089 and allowing the Billikens to snatch a quick, three-set victory.
The Colonials travel next to Loyola Sept. 28 before returning home to host three more conference rivals: Charlotte and Dayton Oct. 7 and Xavier Oct. 9. As GW continues its season, Ault said she will demand solid, reliable play from her team.
“To move forward we just need to compete,” Ault said. “We have all the skills. It’s just about competing on a consistent basis.”
