Updated: Nov. 8, 2018 at 1:41 a.m.
Volleyball fell to VCU 3–0 Friday night, putting playoffs further out of reach for the team with three matches left in the season.
For the first two sets of the match, the Colonials (8–15, 2–9 A-10) kept their opponent close, losing to the Rams (17–7, 12–0 A-10) by just two points in each closely contested set before losing the final set 25–14.
The Rams currently sit atop the Atlantic 10 with a perfect 12–0 record and have only lost eight sets in conference play.
“This is the type of team we can be, and if we started playing like this early on, we could build on it,” head coach Sarah Bernson said. “It’s unfortunate that it came at the end of the season.”
The Colonials swung for a .127 attack percentage to VCU’s .273 and tallied 32 kills in the match. Junior outside hitter Skylar Iott led the team with 15 kills and hit .244 on the night.
In the first set, the Colonials put on an impressive showing and managed to claw their way back from a five-point deficit to tie the game 22–22. But VCU went on a 4–1 run to take the first set 25–23.
The Colonials battled in the second frame, never letting the Rams take more than a three-point lead. GW had a match-high .238 attack percentage and fought hard to take the frame to set-point at 24–23. But a 3–0 run by the Rams ended the frame in VCU’s favor 26–24.
The game got away from the Colonials in the third set, with GW committing a team-high eight errors in the set and swinging a -.029 attack percentage. The Colonials took the first point of the frame but quickly released their lead and never gained it back. The Rams outperformed GW in all phases of the game and took the final frame 25–14.
“The first two sets we were doing everything right, really playing like ourselves,” freshman outside hitter Noelle Dwyer said. “And then the third time, we stopped trusting each other and we were trying to do everything instead of staying in our positions.”
GW’s ability to compete with the best team in the league has fueled the Colonials to bring the same energy into the final stretch of their schedule.
“Going into these next few games, we’re going to take that fire we had the first two sets and really push that on them the next few games,” Dwyer said.
Despite the loss, Bernson said she was encouraged by the energy and focus she saw on the court from her team.
“Tonight, whether or not we won or lost, it was more about the type of team we are and how we play,” Bernson said. “In that sense, I’m proud of how they came out.”
The Colonials return to the hardwood 5 p.m. Saturday to host Davidson for Senior Day.
This post was updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet incorrectly reported that volleyball is unable to make the A-10 Championship tournament. The team still has a chance to be seeded in the tournament. We regret error.
