The No. 10 New York University women's volleyball team opened UAA Championship play Saturday, November 14, in Pittsburgh, PA, with two three-set wins over the University of Rochester and No. 15 University of Chicago.

The Violets defeated Rochester (25-17, 25-12, 25-11) before taking down Chicago in the semifinals (25-14, 25-22, 25-16).

"Our team is doing great in having built trust and confidence within themselves and in each other," said Head Coach Andrew Brown. "I'm really proud of this group and the opportunities they've created for each other."

Match 1: NYU 3, Rochester 0

NYU took the first two sets behind a strong offensive effort, with Coco Barton opening the match with three kills and a block while Casey Cho recorded seven kills in each frame. 

The teams traded points early in the second set before an 11-point run gave NYU momentum and put them ahead. The Violets carried that momentum into the third, jumping out to a 6-1 lead before Rochester cut the deficit to two. NYU responded with 10 of the next 11 points, including back-to-back service aces from Felicia Wu, to close out the set and complete the sweep.

Match 2: NYU 3, Chicago 0

The Violets took control of the opening set after a 6-6 tie, winning nine of the next 10 points behind three kills and two blocks from Barton. NYU maintained its lead the rest of the way to take the first frame.

The Violets never trailed in the second set, with back-to-back kills from Chloe Lemons helping NYU build their advantage. Lucianna Welles added six kills as Chicago rallied late, but the Violets held on to take the set.

After falling behind 3-2 early in the third, NYU responded with four consecutive points to regain the lead. Lemons led the way with seven kills, including back-to-back kills to close out the set and secure the sweep.

Across the two matches, Cho led the Violets with 26 kills, while Wu recorded a team-high four service aces. Barton paced NYU with seven blocks, and Lily Leung led defensively with 22 digs. Alden Roberts and Kate Scherlacher shared the team lead with 31 assists apiece.

The Violets advance to the UAA Championship match tomorrow, November 15, at 1:00 p.m. at David A. Tepper Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, where they will face top-ranked Washington University in St. Louis.