The women’s volleyball team split two matches this past weekend as they opened their Big East schedule on the road against the top two teams in the 2010 Big East preseason coaches’ poll, Cincinnati and Louisville.
After rallying from behind in the first two sets to force extra points (26-24, 27-25) on Friday, the Pirates dropped their third set (25-17) in defeat to the nationally ranked Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati’s Big East preseason Player of the Year, Stephanie Niemer, finished with 20 kills and 10 digs to lead her team.
The Pirates were paced by senior Sarah Osmun who finished with 17 kills and 10 digs. Junior Meghan Matusiak tallied eight kills and 12 digs of her own, while freshman Alyssa Warren added 14 digs.
On Sunday, the Pirates stunned Louisville in five sets (25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 17-25, 15-13) with the help of senior Sarah Osmun, who finished the day with a game high 21 kills and 3 digs en route to becoming Seton Hall’s all time career leader in kills with 1,384. The record breaking kill took place with her first kill in the fifth set.
Junior Meghan Matusiak notched 14 kills, 11 digs, and four aces while sophomore Hannah Hugeback added 13 kills and 11 digs. The team effort was supported by a game high 47 assists for sophomore Olivia Trudeau and a game high 13 digs for Alyssa Warren.
“I had a good feeling about beating Louisville,” said coach Kris Zeiter, “and the win says a lot about the resiliency of my team. Most coaches go into a weekend like that and know they probably won’t win either game, but we did, and that’s great.”
Seton Hall took the first two sets in quick fashion. In the first, Louisville could never recover from an early deficit and did not come within three points of the Pirates all set. In the second, the two teams matched up evenly, keeping the lead extremely close the entire way. It was only after a 5-2 run capped off with an Olivia Trudeau kill that Seton Hall put them away.
After Louisville rallied back to win the next two sets, the Pirates made quick work of the Cardinals by pulling away after a 13 all tie. Louisville could not recover, once again, and the Pirates pulled off the upset.
Osmun, a senior from Crystal Lake, Illinois, did not have much to say about the kills record. Rather than focusing on the personal record itself, she praised her teammates for helping her reach the new record together.
“Volleyball is such a team sport,” said Osmun, “so if anything I think it just shows a lot about the teams I’ve played on and how much work we’ve done together as a team.”
Zeiter, who is in his fifth year as women’s volleyball coach, also understands that volleyball is the quintessential team sport.
“In basketball you can do things on your own with the ball,” said Zeiter, “but in volleyball, you can’t do anything unless you get a good setup, and Sarah understands that. She’s very modest and laid back.”
According to Zeiter, it was clear from the beginning that Osmun was going to be something great for the women’s volleyball program.
“I told her when I recruited her that if she came to Seton Hall, she could help us do some special things,” Zeiter said. “We beat Cincinnati for the first time ever in her freshman year, made the playoffs for the first time, and now we’ve beaten Louisville for the first time ever.”
As for Osmun, her mantra is quite simple.
“Win. Just keep getting better,” Osmun said. “Beating Louisville shows how much we really want to win. The rank of the team doesn’t matter, as long as you give the effort.”
The Seton Hall women’s volleyball team hosts West Virginia on Oct. 2, before welcoming Pittsburgh to Walsh Gymnasium on Oct. 3.
After rallying from behind in the first two sets to force extra points (26-24, 27-25) on Friday, the Pirates dropped their third set (25-17) in defeat to the nationally ranked Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati’s Big East preseason Player of the Year, Stephanie Niemer, finished with 20 kills and 10 digs to lead her team.
The Pirates were paced by senior Sarah Osmun who finished with 17 kills and 10 digs. Junior Meghan Matusiak tallied eight kills and 12 digs of her own, while freshman Alyssa Warren added 14 digs.
On Sunday, the Pirates stunned Louisville in five sets (25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 17-25, 15-13) with the help of senior Sarah Osmun, who finished the day with a game high 21 kills and 3 digs en route to becoming Seton Hall’s all time career leader in kills with 1,384. The record breaking kill took place with her first kill in the fifth set.
Junior Meghan Matusiak notched 14 kills, 11 digs, and four aces while sophomore Hannah Hugeback added 13 kills and 11 digs. The team effort was supported by a game high 47 assists for sophomore Olivia Trudeau and a game high 13 digs for Alyssa Warren.
“I had a good feeling about beating Louisville,” said coach Kris Zeiter, “and the win says a lot about the resiliency of my team. Most coaches go into a weekend like that and know they probably won’t win either game, but we did, and that’s great.”
Seton Hall took the first two sets in quick fashion. In the first, Louisville could never recover from an early deficit and did not come within three points of the Pirates all set. In the second, the two teams matched up evenly, keeping the lead extremely close the entire way. It was only after a 5-2 run capped off with an Olivia Trudeau kill that Seton Hall put them away.
After Louisville rallied back to win the next two sets, the Pirates made quick work of the Cardinals by pulling away after a 13 all tie. Louisville could not recover, once again, and the Pirates pulled off the upset.
Osmun, a senior from Crystal Lake, Illinois, did not have much to say about the kills record. Rather than focusing on the personal record itself, she praised her teammates for helping her reach the new record together.
“Volleyball is such a team sport,” said Osmun, “so if anything I think it just shows a lot about the teams I’ve played on and how much work we’ve done together as a team.”
Zeiter, who is in his fifth year as women’s volleyball coach, also understands that volleyball is the quintessential team sport.
“In basketball you can do things on your own with the ball,” said Zeiter, “but in volleyball, you can’t do anything unless you get a good setup, and Sarah understands that. She’s very modest and laid back.”
According to Zeiter, it was clear from the beginning that Osmun was going to be something great for the women’s volleyball program.
“I told her when I recruited her that if she came to Seton Hall, she could help us do some special things,” Zeiter said. “We beat Cincinnati for the first time ever in her freshman year, made the playoffs for the first time, and now we’ve beaten Louisville for the first time ever.”
As for Osmun, her mantra is quite simple.
“Win. Just keep getting better,” Osmun said. “Beating Louisville shows how much we really want to win. The rank of the team doesn’t matter, as long as you give the effort.”
The Seton Hall women’s volleyball team hosts West Virginia on Oct. 2, before welcoming Pittsburgh to Walsh Gymnasium on Oct. 3.
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