Oshkosh, Wis. - The University of Chicago volleyball team took on a major challenge Saturday, facing No. 5 La Verne and No. 3 UW-Oshkosh in a tough doubleheader. The Maroons earned a set win against La Verne and fought hard in both matches, unfortunately taking th loss in each game.
#5 LA VERNE
The University of Chicago volleyball team put up a strong fight against nationally ranked No. 5 La Verne on Saturday morning, taking a set and pushing the Leopards in multiple frames before falling 3-1. With the result, the Maroons move to 4-4 on the season, while La Verne stays unbeaten at 9-0.
After a slow start in the opening set, UChicago showed resilience and grit, improvingk,. its performance as the match progressed. The Maroons came alive in the third set, earning a hard-fought 25-23 win behind aggressive serving and clutch kills. Diya Mishra led the charge with 12 kills and 11 digs for her second double-double of the season.
The Maroons also showcased depth and versatility across the lineup. Setter Hillary Cheung dished out 19 assists, while freshman Ellie Maxwell added 15. UChicago's defense stayed active throughout, led by Mishra and libero Klaudia Barbarossa (9 digs), and middle blocker Olivia Zamis posted a team-best 4 blocks at the net.
UChicago held the edge in total kills, 42-39, and out-dug La Verne 50-44. The third-set win marks the Maroons' fifth set taken from a nationally ranked opponent this season.
#3 UW-OSHKOSH
Facing one of the top teams in the country, the University of Chicago volleyball faced a tough Wisconsin-Oshkosh team for a 0-3 loss on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the loss, UChicago held its own, showing hustle on both sides of the ball. Senior outside hitter Diya Mishra continued to impress, leading the Maroons with nine kills and nine digs, as well as a service ace.
Setter Ellie Maxwell distributed eight assists, while Hillary Cheung added six, helping the Maroons maintain offensive rhythm in the second and third sets. On defense, Klaudia Barbarossa recorded eight digs, and the blocking effort was anchored by Gaby Miriki, who posted a team-best three blocks the net.
UChicago's strongest set came in the third, where the team pushed back with competitive rallies and smart plays, finding areas to capitalize on the Titans mistakes. The Maroons also limited Oshkosh to their lowest hitting percentage of the match in that frame at .114, finding a bit of steady defensive pressure.
Barbarossa and Mishra were two of the eight players named to the all-tournament team in the invitational.
Up Next
Chicago will head to Minnesota next week to participate in the St. Olaf/ Carleton two-day tournament. The Maroons will begin play Friday night at 5 p.m. against one of the host, St. Olaf. On Saturday, they'll play a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m.
