DOVER, DE – Harvard women's volleyball fell to Delaware State, 3-2, in a five-set thriller to open action at the final non-conference tournament of the 2024 season.

How it Happened

The Hornets grabbed early momentum in the match, pulling out to an eight-point lead in the initial moments. Using a six-point swing, the Crimson were able to pull themselves back into the set and cut the deficit to two. Delaware State continued to hold its advantage until the late moments of the frame, when the Crimson held off a set point and then notched the following two points to solidify a 26-24 result.

The two squads traded leads in the first half of the second set before the Crimson stormed ahead with a 9-1 scoring run. With a sizable lead, Harvard was able to hold off the Hornets' late-set comeback to secure a tight 27-25 second set and move ahead 2-0 in the match.

The opening points of the third set were a back-and-forth battle as the Hornets looked to avoid a sweep. Neither team was able to establish a lead larger than three points, but the slight advantage created by Delaware State allowed them to get on the board and push the match to a fourth set.

Delaware State used the fourth set to continue to build momentum, quickly pulling out to a lead and maintaining it throughout before forcing a fifth set with a 25-15 decision.

Poised to secure the match, the Crimson jumped out to a pair of early two-point leads in the frame. As both squads continued to fight, the score was tied six separate times in the final set. Ultimately, a 4-1 scoring run from the Hornets down the stretch proved to be the deciding factor, closing the set at 15-13 in favor of Delaware State.

Harvard Highlights

• Brynne Faltinsky led the Crimson in kills for the fifth time this season, recording 13 against the Hornets. The junior also added an ace, three total blocks, and 12 digs.
• Ryleigh Patterson joined Faltinsky with double-digit kills, adding 10 with a .350 hitting percentage. Patterson also led the team with four total blocks and contributed eight digs.
• Rocky Aguirre posted an all-around performance with three kills, a team-leading 34 assists, and a career-high-tying 16 digs.
• Lindsey Zhang led the team in digs, recording 19 of the team's 73 total on the night.

Next Up

The Crimson will close out their non-conference season tomorrow as they face NJIT and George Washington at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET, respectively, to wrap up play at the Delaware State Tournament.