The GW women’s volleyball team was successful in its first attempt to defend last year’s Atlantic 10 Conference title. The Colonials swept La Salle at the Smith Center Tuesday ending a six-game losing streak and starting off conference play with a win.

“We’re undefeated in the A-10, and that’s a great way to start defending our title,” head coach Jojit Coronel said.

It was also the first match for GW after the cancellation of last weekend’s GW Volleyball Invitational. The Colonials (1-6, 1-0 A-10) would have faced competition from American, Princeton and Villanova universities in the team’s last chance to compete before starting A-10 play against La Salle.

Because of the cancellation, the Colonials have had extra practice time but less game experience together.

Coronel said it was disappointing not to have an opportunity to compete and that the extra practice was hard on his team. The Colonials had six days of straight practice, something the team has not done since fall camp.

“It’s disappointing, (having games canceled) especially right before the start of A-10’s,” Coronel said. “All the other teams were in the same position, but we are one of the few teams who have no one returning. We need these matches, win or lose, to play and compete.”

Before play began there was a moment of silence in remembrance of last week’s tragedies followed by the National Anthem. Both teams seemed ready to focus on volleyball and quickly got to work.

La Salle jumped out early in the first match, taking a 4-0 lead. It looked like another long game for the Colonials, but sophomore Laura Harrison and freshman Britta Stroman stepped up, hitting powerful kills to tie it at 10.

GW set up solid plays, but was too powerful on its kills and La Salle jumped ahead 16-11. After some solid serving from senior Shannon Farley and two well-placed kills by Stroman, the Colonials tied it at 21.

A service ace from freshman Molly Law and two strong kills by
sophomore Sarah Hokom put the Colonials up 29-26 and set Farley up to serve for the game point. The Colonials won it 30-26 after trailing 19-13.

Coronel was pleased with the way the team controlled the ball in serve receives and in the team’s attack speed.

“Our outside hitters and setters are adjusted now,” Coronel said. “Hopefully, it carries over and over again.”

GW fell behind 4-1 early in the second game, but sophomores Lindsay Ochs and Ruth Lazzari notched some crucial points to tie it at nine. Sophomore Lauren Dunning’s service ace lifted the Colonials to their first lead of the game, 10-9.

After three more lead changes, two more ties and well-executed volleys by both sides, the Colonials finally broke away 27-21 with strong kills by Hokom. Hokom’s kill off Dunning’s assist put La Salle away for the second game, 30-28.

Early control problems left the Colonials struggling at first, but by the third game GW found its rhythm and took an early lead.

After back-to-back service aces by Farley and a kill by Harrison, GW climbed to a 5-1 lead. They led most of the way behind strong play from Lazzari and Hokom, but LaSalle mounted a comeback tying it at 24 after three GW errors. Freshman Kristin Kiefer recorded her first kill of the match to seal the 30-27 win and the match.

The strong sophomore duo of Hokom and Harrison stood out in this match. Hokom picked up a double-double with 10 kills and 12 defensive digs while Harrison racked up 15 kills and eight digs.

“It’s uplifting (to win) after going 0-6, but our previous competition beat
us decisively,” Coronel said. “We could have played better, but the potential is there.”

The Colonials play at Duquesne in their second A-10 match Saturday evening. Duquesne has never beaten a GW volleyball team but they are off to a strong start (6-2) this season.