University Athletic Association

After a 10-day hiatus, the No. 12 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team took down Fontbonne University in four sets (25-21, 25-17, 18-25, 25-12), Wednesday, October 4 inside of the Field House. With the victory, the Bears' record climbed to 11-5, while the Griffins' record fell to 8-6. 

WashU enjoyed the statistical advantages in kills (59-41), aces (5-4), assists (56-37), digs (91-87), and hitting percentage (.220-.087). 

Junior Jasmine Sells welcomed her team-leading 12th double-double of the season. Sells recorded 19 kills and completed the double-double with 15 digs. 

Sophomore Sam Buckley compiled a match-high 50 assists and finished off her ninth double-double of the year with 16 digs.  

Offensively, junior Zoe Foster landed 12 kills, while junior Lucy Davis notched nine kills. 

On the defensive side of the ball, senior Alden Standley earned a team-high 20 digs. Junior Elise Gilroy added 16 digs. 

In the first set, thanks to three straight Bear kills, WashU doubled-up the Griffins, 8-4. In the three-point run, the Bears saw two kills from Davis and a kill from Foster. Later in the frame, WashU held the 15-10 cushion after a Fontbonne attack error. However, a string of Griffins points cut WashU's lead to just one, 19-18. With the score tied at 20 all, a Fontbonne service error and a first-year Lead Oyewole kill gave the Bears some breathing room as the score stood at 22-20. After a Fontbonne point, WashU recorded the final three points on a Sells kills, a senior Lily Steinbach kill, and a Griffins attack error. With the miscue, WashU took set one by a final score of 25-21. 

In the second, a slow start plagued the Bears as Fontbonne welcomed a quick 5-1 lead. WashU was able to knot the score at 8-8 via a Griffins ball handling error. A point later, the Bears went on a five-point run to secure the 13-9 cushion. The run featured three kills and two Fontbonne errors. After earning the 13-9 lead, WashU never relinquished the advantage. Another five-point produced a wide, 24-15, lead. At set point, Foster dialed up a kill to push the Bears past Fontbonne in the second, 25-17. 

The Griffins raced out the 11-3 lead in the third. WashU tried to mount a ferocious comeback as the home team trimmed the deficit to three, 20-17. Ultimately, Fontbonne took the third by a final of 25-18. 

Fontbonne held the slim, 7-6, lead in the fourth. However, the Bears assembled an eight-point run to enjoy the 14-7 advantage. The run was highlighted by three straight Foster kills. With WashU out in front by a score of 14-11, the Bears one-upped their eight-point run by securing a nine-point run to open up the 23-11 lead. A block by senior Paris Nix and Sells ended the set and match with a 25-12 fourth set WashU victory. 

WashU will head to the Windy City for a trio of matches, Friday-Sunday, October 6-8. The Bears will take on No. 20 North Park University on Friday at 7 p.m., before competing in the University Athletic Association Round Robin #2 on Sunday. At the UAA Round Robin, WashU is set to face host, Chicago at 12 p.m., then Carnegie Mellon University at 2 p.m.