BRYN MAWR, Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team (21-8, 6-3 CC) took down host Bryn Mawr (0-20, 0-8 CC) on Wednesday evening inside the Schwartz Gym on the Bryn Mawr campus. Haverford won the matchup with its Bi-Co neighbor by set scores of 25-9, 25-10, and 25-10. Sophomore setter Sara Hunsberger matched a program record with 10 service aces in the triumph, also adding 22 assists to her impressive ledger.
The victory, coupled with a McDaniel win over Dickinson on Wednesday night, clinched a postseason spot for the Fords. Haverford is locked into the Centennial Conference First Round contest, and will either host Swarthmore or travel to McDaniel for the midweek matchup, pending the results of Saturday's final day of regular season action. Haverford extends it sustained run of success in conference play, qualifying for the Centennial Conference tournament for the 17th time in the last 20 seasons.
The Fords registered a .342 hitting percentage on the match, with Dina Kosyagin leading the way with 10 kills on 15 attempts. Julia Gallagher-Teske recorded eight kills on 11 swings, while also notching two solo blocks. Isabel Schwam had a match-high nine digs.
Haverford opened the first set on a 15-5 run, with Kendall Otridge and Riley Outen contributing back-to-back kills to put the Fords up by 10. The lead stretched to 20-7 with a service ace from Hunsberger before Kosyagin punched down back-to-back kills to close out the set.
In the second, Bryn Mawr opened on a 4-1 run before Haverford unleashed a sustained spurt that controlled the tempo of the set. Hunsberger oversaw a long turn at the service line, turning a 4-2 Owls advantage into a 18-4 Haverford lead. The dominant service turn from Hunsberger included six service aces. Outen later contributed the final three kills of the set as Haverford took a 15-point win at 25-10.
The third saw Bryn Mawr hang with the Fords early as the Owls led by two as late as 8-6. Haverford then got some more superb serving from Hunsberger, as the Washington D.C. product rattled off another strong turn at the line to extend the lead to 13-8. The run prompted a timeout from the Owls, but Lindsey Keener then took over following a service error, tacking on three aces of her own before a trio of kills from Gallagher-Teske. Madison Adore also notched a pair of kills down the stretch before Schwam clinched the sweep with yet another service ace.
Haverford's 18 total service aces is tied for the 10th-most in program history, matching the 18 recorded against Farmingdale State at last year's Haverford Invitational. The 18 service aces were also the most in a conference game since the squad recorded 20 against Ursinus in 2006.
Haverford now returns to action in the regular season finale at home against Swarthmore (15-10, 6-3 CC) on Saturday. The Hood Trophy matchup will also serve as Haverford's Senior Day, as the Fords honor their four seniors in a pre-match ceremony.