Women’s volleyball had a clean sweep in their matches against George Washington and George Mason at Chaifetz; however, they lost against VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) and Davidson on the road.

On Friday, Oct. 20, SLU was riding high against George Washington, winning 3-0. Sien Gallop’s performance was on-point throughout the match with nine kills, four service aces, and seven digs. In the first set, the Billikens had an early lead with a 7-0 run, making the score 9-4. GW surged forward 11-2 taking the lead 15-11.  SLU answered by winning the next several points, GW never getting within two points for the remainder of the frame. The final score was 25-21.

For the second set, GW presented more of a challenge, staying on top by six points several times. SLU bounced back 13-4, giving them the advantage 24-21. After two set points, Saint Louis was able to win the set 25-23. The Billikens closed out the third set with a 7-1 spurt, winning 25-16.

Against George Mason on Sunday, Oct. 22, SLU had another 3-0 win, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18. Throughout all three sets, the Billikens exhibited strong playing ability across the board. Gallop led the first set with five kills and three digs. For the three sets, Gallop had a combined 11 kills and recorded a team-high of 13 digs. Maya Taylor had the highest number of kills for the night, putting in 14. Other notables include Lauren Leverenz with 11 kills and Mackenzie Long with 12 digs and five assists.

On Friday, Oct. 27, SLU was on the road playing against VCU. The Rams were triumphant, winning 3-0, 25-19, 25-22, 25-20. Lauren Mershon lead the Billikens with her best hitting percentage of the season, 8-1-15, .467, vs. an A-10 opponent. Leverenz registered eight kills, Taylor just behind with seven kills. Kennedy Cordia finished with a 21-assist, 10-dig double-double.

In the first set, VCU took the lead after breaking the sixth tie of the set. SLU never trailed far behind, but the Rams finished the game with a 6-0 spurt. The second set proved more promising for the Billikens, holding early leads of 3-0 and 5-2, but VCU tied the set seven times. The last deadlock was 21-21, VCU breaking through and winning the next few points to close the frame. In the third set, the Rams shot ahead of the Billikens with an 8-1 lead. SLU was able to gain back some ground with a 6-2 surge, but VCU pulled away and won by five points.

SLU challenged Davidson on Sunday, Oct. 29, with a close match, but just shy of a win at 3-2, 25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 19-25, 15-13. With a two-set shortfall, the Billikens had a comeback, forcing a fifth set break. Gallop showcased her skill once again with a career and match-high 22 kills, 10 digs, and four service aces. Taylor also had a career-high 20 kills and eight digs. Leverenz reported four service aces and 17 kills and Long led the team with 21 digs. Cordia registered 27 assists and nine digs, while Rivas had a match-high 30 assists. SLU is now 9-14 overall and 6-4 in the A-10.  

In the first set, SLU led 10-3, but Davidson gradually moved up to make it a 17-17 tie. After four more ties, Davidson took the frame with a four-point surge. The Wildcats had a 4-0 lead in the second set, SLU trailed behind and never took the lead or tied. The third set was close with 15 deadlocks, SLU winning the final two points after a 24-24 tie. SLU won the fourth set easily, but in the fifth set, Davidson sprinted ahead from a 9-9 tie. The Billikens were able to tie Davidson again 13-13, but lost the next two points, and the match.

This upcoming week, the Billikens remain at home in the Chaifetz Pavilion. Their next match-up is against Fordham at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, and then they challenge Rhode Island on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m.