University Athletic Association

The No. 12 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team opened play in the two-day, WashU Invite, Friday by hosting a pair of matches. In the opener, the Bears swept DePauw University (25-18, 25-15, 15-13), then came up just short against undefeated, No. 2 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, in a thrilling five-set match (25-27, 23-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-8).  

After today's action, WashU's record sits at 15-6.  

In the Bears opening match of the WashU Invite against DePauw, WashU made quick work of the Tigers, sweeping DU in straight sets.  
 

Junior Jasmine Sells and sophomore Sam Buckley each recorded double-double performances. Sells solidified her team leading 15th double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs. Buckley notched her 12th double-double of the season with a match-high 43 assists and then completed the double-double with 11 digs. 
 

First-year Leah Oyewole secured a match-high 12 kills, while junior Lucy Davis added eight kills. 
 

Defensively, junior Elise Gilroy garnered 13 digs. 
 

The Bears held the statistical advantage in several categories, including kills (47-24), blocks (4-2), assists (47-23), digs (67-48), and attacking percentage (.316-.079). 
 

After seeing an early deficit in the opening frame, 7-4, WashU rattled off four straight points to take the slim, 8-7, advantage. The run saw a senior Lily Steinbach kill, a Tiger miscue, a Sells kill, and a Gilroy ace. Later in the set, the Bears welcomed a six-point run to race out to the 16-10 cushion. WashU never relinquished the lead as a junior Zoe Foster kill ended the first set by a score of 25-18. 
 

In the middle of the second set, with the Bears in front 15-9, WashU then produced the next five points to secure the comfortable, 20-9, advantage. The Bears took the second by a final tally of 25-15 on another Foster set-ending kill. 

Looking for the sweep, WashU cruised to the 18-6 lead. The Bears did not allow the Tigers the opportunity to comeback as Oyewole welcomed the match-ending kill by a score of 25-13. 

In the nightcap, after taking the first two sets from No. 2 UW-Oshkosh, the Bears could not give the Titans' their first loss of the season as Oshkosh managed to win the next three sets.  
 

The Bears held the advantage in aces (6-5) and blocks (9-8), while the Titans clipped WashU in kills (79-53), assists (76-50), and digs (89-70). 
 

Once again, Sells and Buckley each earned a double-double. Sells notched a team-high 16 kills and completed her 16th double-double with 11 digs, while Buckley garnered her 13th double-double with 44 assists and 15 digs. 

Steinbach was credited with 12 kills, while Oyewole recorded nine. 
 

Defensively, Steinbach set a new season-high of six total blocks. 
 

First-year Ellie Laird hauled in 13 digs, while Gilroy registered 12. 

In the first set, with WashU leading by one, 11-10, the Bears then recorded the next five points to grab the 16-10 advantage. The run saw three Titan miscues and was highlighted by a Buckley ace and a Sells kill. With the Bears at set point, 24-21, Oshkosh utilized a well-timed four-point rally to flip the script and take the lead, 25-24. However, WashU responded with the next three points to grab the first set, 27-25. Oyewole and Foster drilled pressure filled kills in the three-point run.

The early goings of the second saw back-and-forth play. In the middle of the set, WashU took the five-point, 15-10 lead and later pushed the advantage to 20-14. The Titans showed late life by cutting the deficit to one, 24-23. With the Bears at set point, Oyeweole deposited the set ending kill as WashU took the commanding 2-0 lead with the second set victory, 25-23. 

In the third, Oshkosh took the 16-6 advantage. WashU managed to trim the deficit with a six-point run to make the score 16-12. Ultimately, the Bears' comeback efforts were not enough as the Titans took the third, 25-19. 
 

After the break in play, WashU welcomed the 18-12 fourth set cushion. The Titans managed to secure seven of the next eight points to knot the match at 19-19. With the Bears at match point, 24-22, Oshkosh earned the next three points to take the 25-24 lead. In the end, the Titans won the fourth by a final score of 27-25. 

In the fifth and decisive set, WashU clung to the early, one point lead, 6-5. However, the Titans took the 7-6 advantage and never let the lead slip away. The No. 2 Titans won the set and the match by a score of 15-8.