After starting the season 2-0, the New York University women's volleyball team dropped its first match of the 2018 season. The Violets (2-1) fell to Stevens Institute of Technology (1-3) in straight sets on Wednesday, September 5, at NYU's Brooklyn Athletic Facility. 

Stevens claimed the three-game match by scores of 25-16, 25-19 and 25-21.

The host Violets fell behind 3-0 in the opening game, but rallied to tie the score 5-5. Then after falling behind by as many as four points, NYU pulled to within 15-14 on the second of Stella Alverson's two straight service aces.

However, the Ducks then went on a 10-2 run to easily capture the opener.

The second game followed suit, as Stevens scored the first two points and never trailed. After falling behind by six, 12-6, the Violets rallied with a 5-0 run capped by a kill from Abby Ausmus. But, the Ducks immediately followed with the next six points and never led by less than five the rest of the way.

The final set had a different beginning, but a similar ending. The Violets took their first lead of the evening and raced out to a 4-1 advantage. However, this time it was Stevens who rallied and went on a 9-2 run to take a four-point lead.

The Violets then fell behind by five points, 21-16, before making a final comeback attempt. They pulled to within one, 22-21, on a kill by Gretchen Kincade, but did not score again as the match came to an end. 

Maddie DeJong led NYU with six kills. Alverson had a team-high 14 assists, while Nazzerine Waldon's seven digs led the way for the Violets.

"Stevens is a perennial NCAA Tournament team and they run their system extremely well," said Head Coach Andrew Brown. "We made some runs, but they came back with their own runs and made it really tough on us."

NYU returns to action this weekend when the Violets compete at the York-Spartan Invitational in York, PA. The Violets will face Gallaudet University in the first of their four weekend matches on Friday, September 7, at 4:00pm.