Shannon KeoughThe women’s volleyball team defeated both William Patterson University and the hosting Centenary Cyclones 3-0 on Saturday, Oct. 10. The two wins improved the teams record to 17-6 overall and 7-0 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference.
By beating Centenary 3-0 the Cavaliers strengthened their stranglehold on first place in the CSAC conference. Before the season Cabrini was selected to finish second in the CSAC coaches poll behind Neumann University to whom they lost to in the CSAC championship last year.
“Winning 3-0 against any conference team is a plus not only because we keep our undefeated status within the conference but it makes a statement that we’re serious about winning the conference,” Lizzie Williams, senior pre-med major, said.
The first place Cavaliers dominated Centenary in a three-set win, 25-18, 25-10 and 25-13. Cabrini recorded 43 kills in 81 attacks and had a hitting percentage of .506. Cabrini received contributions from numerous players; Traci Beltz and Stephanie Recklau led the team with 10 kills each and Beth Gillespie and Alexis Doss had numerous kills too. Overall the victory was a team win.
“It’s hard to pick out one outstanding player during such a team effort. I’d say that the defense’s performance was excellent. With their precision passes we were able to run an awesome offense,” Williams said.
The Centenary Lady Cylcones had a hard time staying close to Cabrini due to their 18 errors.
In Cabrini’s second match of the game they squared off against a strong non-conference opponent, William Patterson University. The Cavaliers ended the Pioneers seven game win streak by beating them in straight sets; 25-21, 25-19 and 25-13.
“William Patterson was a team we never played who swung hard and were scrappy, however, we were able to figure them out and defeat them, which says a lot about how we can work as a team to win,” Kate Conahan, senior exercise science and health promotion major, said.
Stephanie Recklau had another good game by having 11 kills and five blocks. Megan Ryan had seven kills and 14 digs.
The Cavaliers still have four matches left on the season and all of them are CSAC opponents. To maintain their number one seed status for the CSAC playoffs the team will have to build off their three game win streak and keep the momentum going. The Cavaliers have high hopes and goals for the rest of the season.
“Play our best together as a team, win the CSAC championship, and make an impression at NCAAs,” Conahan said.
