CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's volleyball (9-0) concluded its non-conference slate with a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-18, 25-23) over Sacred Heart (7-5) in the final game of the Harvard Invitational at the Malkin Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.
Senior Yvette Easton and freshman Kayla Nwabueze were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts in the Crimson's two wins. Easton finished the weekend with 27 digs, marking 4.5 digs per set, and Nwabueze totaled 20 kills, nine digs, four blocks and two aces across both matches.
How it Happened
Harvard climbed out to a 6-1 lead after a block from Sofia Rossi and Riley Resmer and kills from Ali Farquhar before Sacred Heart took its first timeout. The Crimson used another 5-0 run, sparked by an ace from Catlin Shao and kills by Farquhar and Nwabueze, to lead 11-5. Ryleigh Patterson and Masina Ogbechie both stuffed blocks as the teams traded points. A block between the pair gave Harvard set point at 24-16, and Nwabueze finished the set with a kill to win 25-17.
The Crimson went on a 3-0 run to start the second set, but the Pioneers were able to regain momentum to lead 15-14 at the media timeout. Harvard recovered with a 4-0 run off of errors by SHU and kills from Patterson and Rossi. The Crimson outscored Sacred Heart 7-1 to close out the set and won 25-18 after two attack errors by the Pioneers.
SHU pulled ahead 4-0 in the beginning of the final set, but two aces by Jordan Shelor and kills from Farquhar and Rossi had the Crimson leading 7-5. The teams traded blows until Sacred Heart ultimately led again 15-14 at the technical timeout. Scoring was tight as neither squad pulled ahead by more than two, but Resmer and Ogbechie gave Harvard match point at 24-22. A Pioneer kill held off the end of the match for one point, but Ogbechie finished it out with a kill to win 25-23.
Harvard Highlights
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Harvard hit .273 on the match with 35 kills, 45 digs, 10 blocks, and six aces. Sacred Heart hit at a .131 clip with 40 kills, 48 digs, two blocks, and two aces.
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Four different Crimson served aces, and Shelor and Nwabueze led the way with two each. Shao and Rossi added the other aces for Harvard.
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Rossi led the offense with 10 kills on 28 swings, while Patterson controlled the defense with six blocks.
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Harvard continues on its best start in program history and has its longest win streak since 2014.
All-Harvard Invitational Team
Yvette Easton, L, Harvard
Kayla Nwabueze, OH, Harvard
Sophia Adkins, OH, Providence
Renata Montini, OH, Sacred Heart
Next Up
Harvard will face Dartmouth at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, inside the Malkin Athletic Center for its first Ivy League match of the season.
