The New York University's sixth-ranked women's volleyball team swept Stockton University on Friday, October 21, in Brooklyn to celebrate Senior Day. Cheered on by flashing silver and purple pom-poms from the NYU Gameday/Events Cheerleading Team and visiting parents for Alumni and Parents Weekend, the game was filled with energy and culminated in set scores of 25-17, 25-23, 25-16. 

Prior to the game, NYU honored Nicole Dao, Haley Holz and Gabriella Spaethling, its three seniors. Dao, a business major in the Stern School of Business, played 77 matches for the Violets but sat out of the Senior Day match due to injury. Holz, a double major in Business at Stern and Film and Television in the Tisch School of the Arts, played her 89th match on Friday. Spaethling, majoring in Leadership and Management in the School of Professional Studies, competed in her 52nd match as a Violet after transferring from San Diego State University.

"Playing volleyball has meant so much to me. I've been playing since I was very little, and to play at this level on this team, and to see how far the team has come since my freshman year has meant everything," said Holz. 

The Violets got off to a strong start in the first set, using a 9-1 run with three service aces by Dominique Drust and one by Holz to grab a six-point lead. The Ospreys rallied with a 5-1 run to try to close the gap, but kills by Ella Weider, Spaethling, Holz, and Taylor Odum helped the Violets increase the difference and take the first.

In the second set, the Violets continued their momentum to secure an early lead at 8-3. However, Stockton made a 9-3 run to bring the score to 16-15. The two teams traded points back and forth until a tie at 22-22. Holz recorded two kills to help edge the Violets ahead to the 25th point, ending the second.

"We were really efficient offensively," said Head Coach Andrew Brown of the second. "All of our stable results of strong defense, good blocking, and tough serving were displayed and allowed us to get through a really gritty second set." 

The Violets scored five unanswered points to start the third set, earning enthusiastic cheers from the home crowd. Kills by Drust, Spaethling, Holz, Olivia Lewandowski, Odum, and Jessica Spierenburg lifted the Violets to a match-high .345 hitting percentage that secured the match for NYU. 

"Stockton was a really strong team. In these regional matches, everyone comes with their best performance," said Brown. "Our players did a really good job of handling that type of adversity and pressure and focused on our side of the net in terms of our brand of volleyball."

Weider led the Violets with 10 kills while Drust posted 22 assists and Hirano put up 13 digs. 

"I think this group is super special," said Brown, reflecting on his three seniors. "They were instrumental in our success last year, and they're continuing to establish a foundation of awesomeness when it comes to a balance between academics, volleyball and doing it in a city. All three of them have done so much and have been so special to myself and my two assistants that we know they're going to go on after graduating to do amazing things." 

The Violets return to the court on Saturday, October 22, to face Stevens Institute of Technology and Kean University in Hoboken, NJ.