The volleyball team (6-9 overall, 1-5 Patriot League) faced a challenging weekend, dropping two key Patriot League matchups to Loyola Maryland University (4-2 Patriot League, 6-9 overall) and American University (4-2 Patriot League, 14-4 overall).
Despite strong individual efforts, the Leopards struggled to find consistency and fell in straight sets on both occasions.
The Leopards opened the weekend in Baltimore, losing to Loyola in three sets last Friday. The Greyhounds got off to a fast 5-0 start in the first set, which put the Maroon and White on the defensive.
Sophomore outside hitter Emma Patmon and senior outside hitter Abby Nieporte looked to spearhead a Leopard response, each putting up two kills in the opening set, but the Greyhounds’ aggressive serving proved to be the difference.
“We seemed to start down but then fought hard in the end, but at that point, it was too late to catch up,” senior middle blocker Natasha Zorbas said. “Starting strong in the beginning is something we want to work on moving forward.”
The Maroon and White made a stronger push in the second set. The Greyhounds jumped out to a 3-0 start, but key kills from Nieporte and junior middle blocker Abby Nicholson helped bring the Leopards to an 18-17 deficit.
“The coaches said we needed someone to step up on the court, and Abby Nieporte did just that and played super aggressive, getting crucial points for the team directly after,” Zorbas said.
However, Loyola won seven of the final eight points to close out with a 25-18 second set win.
The final set was more of the same, as the Greyhounds overpowered the Leopards’ defense with a series of scoring runs to seal the 25-13 third-set win and a straight-sets victory. The Greyhounds’ superior setting contributed to their success, notching 11 more assists than the Leopards.
The Maroon and White continued its road trip in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, falling to American in straight sets.
“Traveling every weekend can definitely be mentally taxing, but staying together as a unit on and off the court has definitely helped us,” senior outside hitter Phoebe Glass said. “We’re a very close team, so playing all together on the court, even when we’re not at home, helps us find calm in these stressful situations.”
The Leopards displayed flashes of resilience, particularly in the first set, where they tied the match at 11-11 thanks to a kill and back-to-back service aces from Patmon. However, American responded with a 6-1 run to pull ahead and take the set 25-18.
In the second set, the Leopards were plagued by attack errors, recording six more than the Eagles, and fell 25-14.
The third set was the most competitive of the match, with six tied scores. The Leopards’ defense stepped up, as Nicholson led the way with three block assists. Despite grabbing an early 9-5 lead, American continued their relentless attack with five separate 3-0 runs, earning the 25-20 win and making it four consecutive losses in straight sets for the Leopards.
Zorbas said that the team has been working on their mindsets with “the understanding we aren’t even halfway through the season and have the opportunity to face every opponent again.”
The Leopards will return home to the Kirby Sports Center this weekend with a pair of Patriot League matchups beginning Friday at 7 p.m. against Army West Point (3-3 Patriot League, 7-8 overall) followed by a contest against Navy (1-5 Patriot League, 1-14 overall) Saturday at 6 p.m.