The Charger’s volleyball team took a bus ride down to Worcester, Mass., to take on the Assumption Greyhounds Sept. 11. The Chargers came into the match with an overall record of 8-3, while Assumption was 0-6. This was the first conference match for both teams and right out of the gate, the Chargers took control.

Throughout the match, New Haven relied on key runs where they took any momentum Assumption tried to build. The first of these runs came when New Haven was leading, 6-4, in the first set. The Chargers then scored five straight points to pull ahead 11-4, and forced Assumption coach Elyse Rowland-Bauman, to call a timeout to try and halt the Chargers momentum.

The key point of the set came  when New Haven led 17-7. Kristine Rios had just served back-to-back service aces, and dove for a ball destined to hit the floor. She saved it up to Kali Greathead for the kill. The first set was led by Mallory Nowicki, Kristine Rios, and Kali Greathead, who each had 3 kills, with Rios adding 6 assists. The final score of the first set was 25-11 in a victory for the visiting Chargers.

The second set was similar, and again New Haven relied on a set of runs to pull ahead. Leading 9-4, the Chargers scored four consecutive points and pulled ahead, 13-4, leading Assumption  to call another timeout.

The final point came off a set by Rios where Nowicki hammered home a kill. The Chargers took set two with a score of 25-16. Nowicki and Greathead each added another 3 kills, while Rios dished out 9 more assists and another service ace.

Leading 2 sets to none, the Chargers made quick work of the Greyhounds in the third and final set.New Haven pulled ahead and quickly went up 8-2, and never looked back. The final point of the match came from freshman Sydney Strasner, who delivered a kill off a Rios set. Greathead and Rios led the Chargers in this set with 4 kills apiece, and Rios added 8 more assists to her total. The final score of the set was 25-9.

This moves the Chargers’ record to 9-3, and extends their streak of regular season conference wins to 17. New Haven was led by Rios, who finished the day with 9 kills, 23 assists, and 7 digs, and Kali Greathead, with 10 kills and 7 digs. Other contributing players included Brianna Mirmina, who had an impressive 19 digs on the night, and Angela Chan, who dished out 19 assists.

New Haven volleyball will be back on Friday Sept. 14 when they take on the American International College Yellow Jackets in Charger Gymnasium.