CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's volleyball (0-5) forced five sets (23-25, 18-25, 25-15, 25-23, 7-15) against Seton Hall (5-4) but ultimately fell in the final match of the Harvard Invitational.
How it Happened
The Crimson and the Pirates battled neck and neck throughout the entirety of the opening set. Either team struggled to gain a strong offensive possession resulting in no deficits larger than three. Harvard responded to Seton Hall's late set push, tying the contest at 23-all following a 4-1 run of its own. Despite the Crimson's efforts, the Pirates won the opening set 25-23.
Seton Hall carried its momentum into the second set, beginning the frame with a 5-1 lead. The Pirates were steady in the set, maintaining its sizeable lead throughout. Harvard began to push late, shrinking the deficit to three at 20-17.
The third began as a back-and-forth affair, but the Crimson exploded on a 9-2 run to lead 18-12. Harvard continued to dominate for the remainder of the set, allowing just three more Seton Hall points en route to a 25-15 victory.
Set four featured tighter play as Harvard fought to extend the contest. Neither team held a significant advantage before Harvard opened the doors with a 4-0 run to lead 21-17. Seton Hall continued to battle including tying the set at 22-all. Harvard was resilient, however, ultimately stealing the point and forcing a fifth set with a 25-23 decision.
The Pirates took control of the final set early and never relinquished its lead. Seton Hall recovered from its two-set drought with a 15-7 result to secure the win.
Harvard Highlights
- Brynne Faltinsky led the team on the offensive end, tallying 17 kills while hitting at a .300 clip. The senior captain also added three aces and three digs in the contest.
- Ali Farquhar recorded 13 kills, four blocks, and three digs. This weekend, the junior averaged 3.13 and a .350 hitting percentage and totaled five blocks ultimately earning a spot on the Harvard Invitational All-Tournament team.
- Sophia Wei provided another strong performance, contributing a team-high for both assists (24) and digs (14).
Next Up
The Crimson will head down the road to Chestnut Hill next weekend to face Boston College (Sept. 18), Bryant (Sept. 19), and Stonehill (Sept. 20) in the Eagle Classic.
