University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
22-10,13-5Big East
North Carolina A&T State University
20-11,11-5Big South
Huskies Sweep North Carolina A&T for First NIVC Win
12/4/2021 8:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Making its return to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship for the first time since 1994, the UConn women's volleyball team swept North Carolina A&T in a first round matchup Saturday night at Power Gym.
UConn (22-10, 13-5 BIG EAST) won the first two sets by at least 10 points in each frame to power past North Carolina A&T (20-11, 11-6 Big South) to earn its first NIVC win in program history.
With the win, the Huskies will return to Power Gym tomorrow for a second round matchup against Boston College at 4 p.m.
Senior Caylee Parker neared a double-double with a team-best 11 kills to go with nine digs. Sophomore Taylor Panell followed with 10 kills on a blistering .714 hitting percentage. Junior Karly Berkland notched a game-high 11 digs while graduate student McKayla Wuensch also set a game-high with 25 assists.
UConn came out firing on all cylinders, using a 12-4 run to start, and limited the Aggies to a -.050 hitting percentage as it took the first set easily, 25-12.
The Huskies earned eight of their first nine points in the following set of North Carolina A&T errors to pull ahead, 9-3. Wuensch kept the momentum on UConn's side by starting a 6-2 run to create more distance, and senior Klaudia Sowizral ripped back-to-back kills to close out the set. Once again, the Huskies held the Aggies to a negative hitting percentage (-.143) to take the set, 25-14.
With its season on the line, North Carolina A&T pushed out an 8-6 edge to start the third frame, but the Huskies answered with a 5-0 streak, and a service ace from junior Jasmine Davis flipped the scoreboard, 11-8. The Aggies caught fire on the attack as they utilized a 4-0 run to tie it up at 13-all until Parker started a 3-0 spurt to put the Huskies back in front for good.
