University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
2-0,0-0Big East
Youngstown State
0-2,0-0Horizon
Huskies Defeat Youngstown State in Five Set Thriller
8/31/2024 7:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
STORRS, Conn.-Â Â Â Looking to build on their season-opening win last night, UConn Volleyball took on nonconference opponent Youngstown State in the second match of their opening weekend tournament at the UConn Volleyball Center.
Jess Perry boosted the Huskies with strong start with 4 kills in the early going, Anna Herman made her collegiate debut with two early kills and a combined block with Perry.  Emma Werkmeister continued her strong weekend performance with 5 kills in the first frame. Youngstown State's duo of Julia Sell and Kiyah Franklin combined to help the Penguins battle in a back-and-forth beginning. Audrey Rome ended the set with her third kill of the frame, as UConn took the first set, 25-23.
The Huskies struggled out of the gate in the second set, with the visiting Penguins taking an early 10-5 advantage. Sell, Franklin, and Dayan Malave kick-started a Youngstown State run. Abbie Householder had multiple kills in the second frame to force UConn to call a timeout. In her UConn debut, Hanna Tyslka chipped in two kills, but Youngstown tied up the match at 1 set apiece, taking the second frame 25-16.
UConn came out strong early in set 3, with kills from Rome and an Werkmeister's first ace of the match so far forced an early timeout from the visiting squad, as the Huskies built an early 9-3 lead. After aces from Werkmeister and Doga Kutlu, UConn built up a double digit lead in the third frame that was too much for Youngstown to overcome, bouncing back and taking the set 25-11.
Both squads traded errors back and forth early in the fourth set, with five combined miscues in the first ten points. Householder and the Penguins battled back in a must-win set 4, building a 14-9 lead into a timeout. More errors and Werkmeister's strong efforts aided the Huskies as they clawed back into the set to cut Youngstown State's lead to 18-16. UConn pushed to end the match in the fourth, but end to the set pushed the match the distance.
In the decisive fifth set, Herman, Werkmeister, and Kutlu took over for the Huskies with clutch kills across the board to put the team in front with a lead that they would not relinquish, taking the fifth set 15-7, winning a thriller 3 sets to 2.
Up Next:Â UConn wraps up the weekend hosting in-state opponent Sacred Heart at 2pm Sunday. Youngstown State battles LIU in the match before at 11 am. Both matches will be streamed for free on UConn+.
