ATLANTA, Ga. - In a battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the University of Chicago volleyball team secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over No.5 WashU in the last day of the first UAA Round Robin. The match showed the Maroons determination as they battled through five intense sets with final scores of 18-25, 25-21, 25-18, 19-25, and 15-12.
WashU jumped out to an early lead in the first set with aggressive attacks from their outsides. WashU's tight serving put the Maroons on their heels as well, but UChicago regrouped in the second set, with senior Diya Mishra firing off multiple kills and aces to ignite a comeback. After a back-and-forth battle, a clutch kill from outside hitter Olivia Zamis and a service ace by setter Hillary Cheung helped UChicago seal the set and put them back in the game.
Momentum shifted fully in the third as the Maroons dominated on both offense and defense. Mishra continued her relentless attack, while Adelee Kaiton contributed several key kills. UChicago's defense tightened up, forcing errors and earning blocks that stifled WashU's offense. The Maroons ran away with the set 25-18, signaling they were not going down without a fight.
WashU showed their resilience in the fourth, breaking a tight scoring duel late in the set and using a combination of strong serves and quick attacks to close it out 25-19 and force a decisive fifth set.
The final set was a true nail-biter, with both teams trading points back and forth. After several long rallies and intense defensive plays, a clutch block by Hillary Cheung and a crucial kill by Diya Mishra helped UChicago pull ahead late. WashU fought hard to stay in it, but the Maroons closed out the set 15-12, securing a hard-earned victory.
Mishra led the Maroons with 21 kills, five aces, and 19 digs, while Zamis added 12 kills and four blocks. Cheung ran the offense with 32 assists and a key block in the final moments.
UChicago closed out their first UAA weekend with a 2-1 record. Up next, Chicago will head to No.4 UW- Whitewater on Saturday for another Top 25 matchup.
