CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's volleyball (0-4) narrowly fell to Washington State (4-3), 3-0 (26-24, 31-29, 25-22), this evening inside of the Malkin Athletic Center.
The sweep by the Cougars was not indicative of the Crimson's fight as it battled to near victories in each of the three sets. Additionally, Harvard had three players with double-digit kills as it recorded 47 as a team while hitting a season-best .314.
How it Happened
It was a hot start for the Crimson as two opening match aces from
Sophia Wei fueled a 6-2 advantage. The Cougars settled in, overtaking the lead midway through the set. Despite losing its early lead, Harvard never trailed by much as the deficit didn't grow beyond two at any point. With its continued fight, the Crimson pulled back in front late, leading 23-22 and forcing a Cougars timeout. Out of the break, WSU secured four of the final five points to steal set one, 26-24.
Undeterred by its narrow loss in the opening set, Harvard again grew a 6-2 lead to start. In the second, however, Harvard continued to grow its lead through the middle portion of the frame. Strong defense powered the Crimson as it built a 12-7 advantage. Harvard maintained its lead throughout the majority of the set, fending off its foes before the Cougars pulled ahead at 22-21. After an all-out effort from either side late in the set, WSU ultimately slipped out another win in a 31-29 decision.
With its momentum of a 2-0 lead, the Cougars started the third set in front, 12-9. Determined to extend the match, however, Harvard pulled in front 16-15. The final set kept the theme of a back-and-forth affair but the Crimson could not grab a point in the match, falling 25-22 in the third.
Harvard Highlights
- Farquhar set her new season-best for kills while hitting at an impressive .450 clip.
- Sophia Wei and Nicole Cornell shared duties at the setter spot, each tallying 19 assists. Wei also recorded three aces and 12 digs.
- Hannah Nguyen had a strong showing at the libero position, registering 11 digs.
- In just three sets, the Crimson recorded 47 kills and hit a season-best .314.
Next Up
The Crimson will conclude the Harvard Invitational on Sunday, September 14 against Seton Hall. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. ET inside the Malkin Athletic Center and on NESN.
