The American University volleyball team (7-1) had a strong showing the weekend of Sept. 6, securing two wins against Hampton and Alabama A&M. Despite their success, the Eagles fell short in a hard-fought matchup against the University of Maryland, their first loss of the season.
The Eagles entered the weekend on a hot streak, winning their first five games while dropping only two sets in those five contests.
American played against the Hampton Pirates in their first game of the weekend on Sept. 6. From the first serve to the match-winning point, this match ran just over an hour long, ending with the Eagles putting up a dominant victory over Hampton.
The first set saw an even distribution of kills for American, with freshman outside hitter Zedo Yilmaz, junior outside hitter Adelina Berisha and freshman middle blocker Elise Sterling each putting up at least three kills. After a 25-14 win in the first set, the following two were even shorter, American winning 25-12 and 25-8. During the third set, freshman libero Bella Marrero started at the position rather than senior libero Bridget Javitch.
“I’m so proud of Bella [Marrero], she did so well with those reps, and I’m super happy to see her getting that time in the blue jersey,” Javitch said after the game.
The Eagles took on Alabama A&M Bulldogs in the second match of the weekend. This match was not as much of a rout as the previous game as the Eagles dropped a set and won in four. The first set was a 25-18 victory for American and the second a 25-21 loss. After that set loss, the Eagles played hard and angry, giving up a total of 25 points over the next two sets while putting up 50 of their own. Yilmaz posted 15 kills and six aces in the game against the Bulldogs, leading the team.
The excitement in Bender Arena for the final match of American’s weekend was palpable, as the Eagles were set to take on the Maryland Terrapins. This match was the Eagles’ annual Bender Blue Out match, seeing a massive wave of 1,227 student attendees supporting American for a big match.
The Eagles took the first set off of Maryland in extra points, winning 27-25 after a set-sealing kill from Sterling. The momentum was in American’s favor with the crowd behind them, but Maryland came back in the next set.
Maryland graduate student pin hitter Samantha Schnitta was up to serve near the end of the set, hitting four of five serves for aces on the Eagles. The Eagles were already down at this point, so the run of Terrapin points was enough to close out the set, tying the match score at one apiece.
Maryland took the next set as well. American put up a much bigger fight, but lost the fourth set by a score of 25-23. The Eagles found their footing in the fourth set, winning the set 25-20 and forcing a decisive fifth set.
In a do-or-die situation, both teams played at the highest level they could. Unfortunately for the fans in attendance, it was the Terrapins who came out on top, 15-13, ending the Eagles’ undefeated streak after seven wins.
After each American won, the students assembled in Bender exploded with cheers, keeping the energy up and, at times, keeping their Eagles in the match.
“The fans we had here today willed us back into that first set, turning what would have been a loss into a win,” Head coach Ahen Kim said.
Yilmaz led the team in kills through the weekend with 32, followed closely by Berisha with 31. Senior setter Esma Sipahi posted 100 assists on the weekend, while senior middle blocker Lilou Stegeman put up 15 blocks through the three-match gauntlet.
Multiple times throughout the weekend, American had the most wins of any NCAA D1 team, with six and seven.
“I told them I’m proud of them. They went toe to toe with Maryland in the things that they’re good at, and stood their ground,” Kim said.
American goes on the road next to face Campbell Camels on Sept. 13. They return home on Oct. 4 to face the Bucknell Bison in their Patriot League home opener.
This article was edited by Penelope Jennings, Delaney Hoke and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks and Ella Rousseau.
