HAMDEN, Conn — Despite looking messier than usual, Quinnipiac volleyball remained undefeated at home with a 3-0 win over St. Peter’s Saturday afternoon. Between 10 total attacking errors and seven service errors, there were times when Quinnipiac was on the ropes, but got the job done when it counted. Thanks to some discipline and a few deep breaths, it was always able to bring it back, especially at home.
“We spend a lot of time at Burt Kahn,” head coach Kyle Robinson said. “All our meals are here, we turned up the music, it’s our spot. It’s one of the major factors [behind the win].”
Sophomore setter Damla Gunes got out to a hot start in the first set, recording three straight aces to start the game, helping theBobcats keep their foot on the gas for the entire first set. By keeping pressure on at the service line, Quinnipiac was able to keep St. Peter’s on its back foot for practically the whole game.
One of the Bobcats’ best players in the first set was junior opposite hitter Alexandra Tennon. She got four kills and an absolutely vicious block in the first set, and did a great job of maintaining the energy for her teammates while tacking on an additional four kills throughout the game.
The second set wasn’t much different. The Peacocks’ first pass was sloppy and their setting was not much better. They never really got their offense going, and the Bobcats were able to coast. Sophomore outside hitter Yagmur Gunes led the way for the Bobcats in this set with five of her 17 total kills.
Robinson expressed his strategy regarding load management for his players, and Yagmur felt she was refreshed and ready for Saturday.
“If I had played the other match I would definitely be more tired,” Yagmur Gunes said. “Today I felt more rested and it feels good to be part of the lineup.”
In the third set, the Bobcats had a bit of a hiccup, starting it out even at four. St. Peter’s was relying on weird balls getting over the net to catch Quinnipiac off guard, and all of a sudden, the Bobcats were a step behind. Freshman outside hitter Leilani-kai Giusta had her best set in the third, tallying four kills, including the game-winner. Her fellow Hawaiian teammate, junior libero Fa’avae Kimsel Moe, also had a great game; she had a game-high 11 digs.
St. Peter’s had lost their last 20 games straight, and how they were looking, it’s shocking the Peacocks were able to put up 10 points in a couple of the sets. The Bobcats got by, but considering their level of talent, they should’ve dominated.
“I thought the performance was good. I can’t complain. You know, as I tell you a lot, that I’m just greedy,” Robinson said. “So I want more. I want us to be sharper, a little bit more disciplined, When you don’t have your opponent kind of pushing you to be good, It’s sometimes hard to it’s hard to kind of push to that next level. It almost doesn’t seem necessary.”
The Bobcats will be back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. against conference foe Rider.
