Thursday night the American University Women's Volleyball team improved to 2-0 in Patriot League play and 9-6 overall with a win over the host Lafayette Leopards. The strong four-set showing by the Eagles led to their third victory in a row and fifth in six matches.
American started weakly, losing the first set 15-30. This feeble showing was due in part to tentative play, but also to the strong defense shown by the Leopards. Some squads may have let this early defeat get to them, but the Eagles are no such team.
Coming back on the court for the second set, the Eagles had a new intensity. Senior Captain Elizabeth Maloney's strong play was second only to that of Rubena Sukaj, who managed 20 kills throughout the match. This sophomore's very strong performance, including a .421 percentage, helped to rally the team. Maloney and freshman Ann Recht had 11 and nine kills, respectively, bringing about the eventual victory.
Although Maloney, Recht and Sukaj had a profound impact, they would not have been as successful without the consistent support of setter Christina Nash and her 52 assists. Also instrumental was the intense defensive play of freshman Ivana Cebakov and Sukaj. The amazing teamwork featured throughout the last three sets fueled the victory: 30-16, 30-14 and 30-23.
This win propels the Lady Eagles to second in Patriot League standings. Their 2-0 Patriot League record is second only to Army, who is 3-0 in league play. American's record is particularly impressive when considering that seven of the 14 women on the squad are freshmen. With only one senior, three juniors and three sophomores, this young team has shown a surprising amount of maturity.
After five games in one week, American is enjoying an extended break. Their next match is Friday at 7 p.m. against Holy Cross in Bender Arena. The Crusaders are 0-3 in league play and 2-12 overall, providing a great opportunity for the Eagles to dominate yet another match.
