HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College volleyball team (16-3, 7-1 CC) continued its impressive run Wednesday evening, cruising past Bi-Co rival Bryn Mawr (6-12, 1-7 CC) in straight sets, 25-18, 25-12, 25-20, in Centennial Conference action at Gooding '84 Arena on Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night.
The victory extended Haverford's winning streak to seven consecutive matches and gave the Scarlet and Black their best start through 19 contests since 2021, when the Fords also opened the season 16-3 en route to a 24-win campaign and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Elizabeth Cella continued her outstanding sophomore campaign, delivering a match-high 15 kills on a .407 hitting percentage while adding 13 digs for a double-double. Gia Frank was equally efficient offensively, collecting 11 kills on 21 attempts with just one error to finish with a stellar .476 hitting percentage.
First-year Julie Xu provided another highlight in just her second collegiate appearance, registering four service aces to help power a Haverford attack that finished with 12 aces on the evening. The Fords also received nine kills from Fiona Moord, who hit .421, while Marlee Hills contributed eight kills, six digs and three service aces. Anna Krotky Koeppe directed the offense with 36 assists, and libero Kira Chaney anchored the defensive effort with a match-high 18 digs.
Bryn Mawr opened the contest with some major energy, jumping ahead 5-2 before extending its advantage to 11-6. Haverford gradually worked its way back into the frame, with kills from Moord, Cella and Hills helping the Scarlet and Black cut into the deficit. Trailing 18-16, the Fords took control behind a decisive nine-point run with Xu at the service line. Cella delivered five kills during the stretch, while Xu added three service aces as Haverford surged ahead to claim the opening set, 25-18.
The momentum carried into the second frame, as Haverford quickly established its offensive rhythm. With the score tied at 5-5, the Fords used kills from Cella, Frank and Hills to build a 14-7 advantage. Haverford continued to pull away behind a balanced attack, with Chaney helping fuel a five-point stretch that pushed the lead to 19-8. Rachel Cohrs entered late in the set and contributed a service ace before Xu delivered another ace on set point, sealing a commanding 25-12 victory. The Scarlet and Black were particularly efficient in the second frame, hitting .414 with 14 kills and just two attack errors.
Bryn Mawr refused to go quietly in the third set, opening with a 4-1 advantage before Haverford responded with a run of its own. Hills delivered consecutive service aces to help the Fords move ahead 9-6, but the Owls continued to battle. The teams traded the lead throughout the middle stages, with Bryn Mawr eventually moving ahead 18-17. Haverford answered behind Moord and Chaney, and the two sides remained deadlocked at 19-19.
Cella then took over down the stretch, recording three consecutive kills to give the Fords a 22-19 advantage. Hills followed with her third service ace of the match before Krotky Koeppe added a kill to bring up match point. After Bryn Mawr briefly extended the contest, Cella delivered the final kill to secure the 25-20 third-set victory and complete the sweep.
Haverford finished with a .275 hitting percentage, collecting 47 kills and 55 digs while holding Bryn Mawr to 19 kills and a .110 hitting percentage. The Fords also held a commanding 12-3 advantage in service aces. Abigail Quigley paced the Owls with nine kills, while Felicia Torrico recorded 14 digs and Charlotte Mullen distributed 17 assists.
With their fourth consecutive Centennial Conference Tournament berth already secured, the Fords continue to build momentum as the regular season enters its final stretch. The Fords head to Johns Hopkins, receiving votes in the latest AVCA Poll, for a 1 p.m. matchup on Saturday, October 31.
