Yale Women’s Volleyball Splits Matches Against Princeton and Penn

The Yale women’s volleyball team had a mixed weekend, achieving a decisive victory over Princeton while narrowly losing to the University of Pennsylvania. The Bulldogs improved their record to 10–8 overall and 6–4 in the Ivy League after defeating Princeton 3-0 on October 31, 2023, but fell 3-2 to Penn the following day.

Yale showcased a dominant performance against Princeton, winning the match with set scores of 25-22, 25-14, and 25-14. The Bulldogs initiated the first set with an impressive 4–0 scoring run, largely due to the effective serving of Yuri Park ’29. The teams exchanged points until Yale broke away at 22-23. In the second set, Park continued her strong performance, contributing a nine-point service run that propelled the Bulldogs to a commanding lead.

The third set featured additional service aces from Halle Sherlock ’26 and Mila Mijailovic ’28, along with a solid defensive effort that effectively halted Princeton’s offense. Ava Poinsett ’29 led the Bulldogs with 15 kills and nine digs, while teammates Cam Bolane ’28 and Lauren Kellen ’26 added eight and six kills, respectively. Yale outperformed Princeton in all major statistical categories, including kills, aces, blocks, assists, and digs, with Park recording four of the team’s nine service aces.

In contrast, the match against Penn proved to be a challenging five-set contest. The Bulldogs lost 22-25, 25-19, 25-19, 19-25, and 11-15. The first four sets saw intense back-and-forth action. After dropping the first set, Yale rebounded with strong offensive and defensive displays, taking a 2-1 set lead. Unfortunately, they could not maintain their momentum, as Penn surged in the fourth set to tie the match.

Despite leading in key statistical categories, Yale faced a formidable challenge in the deciding set. The Quakers initiated the final frame with a 5–0 run, leaving the Bulldogs scrambling to catch up. However, pivotal plays by Isabella Mendoza ’26 at the service line and Gigi Barr ’26 at the net narrowed the gap. Poinsett matched her season-high with 24 kills and added 15 digs, while Laurece Abraham ’27 contributed 19 kills with an impressive hitting percentage of 0.500. Bolane added 13 kills, and five players recorded ten or more digs against Penn’s offense.

Looking ahead, the Bulldogs will conclude their away schedule next weekend, facing Harvard (5–13, 4–6) in Cambridge and Dartmouth (7–13, 4–6) in Hanover. As the season progresses, Yale aims to enhance their standing in the Ivy League with strong performances in these final matches.