University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
1-0,0-0Big East
Lehigh
0-1,0-0Patriot
Volleyball Sweeps Lehigh in Season Opener
8/29/2025 4:48:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
VESTAL, N.Y.- UConn volleyball kicked off their 2025 season with a win over Lehigh, defeating the Mountain Hawks in straight sets 26-24, 25-21, 25-13 on Friday afternoon.
Anna Herman (Vincennes, In.) got the Huskies on the board with the first kill of the season. Lehigh went on an early run, but a balanced UConn attack aided by Emma Werkmeister (Victor, N.Y.), Grace Maria (Arlington, Va.) and Doga Kutlu (Ankara, Turkey) brought the Huskies level early in the set. Lehigh ripped off three consecutive points to go ahead 13-9, but errors allowed the Huskies to capitalize and even the score again at 15-15. Both sides traded miscues to keep the score tightly contested at 23-all. Combined blocks from Maria, Audrey Rome (Sandwich, Il.) and Ayva Cebollero (Nocatee, Fl.) lifted the Huskies to a first set victory.
Maria persisted on the UConn attack with three early terminations in the second set, adding to her team-leading 7 kills in the early going. UConn maintained a two-point lead after kills from Jess Perry (Independence, Tenn.) and Eli Adams (Clarkston, Mich.). In her first game action since 2023, Adams was instrumental for the Huskies in the second frame, adding another kill and combining with Perry for a loud block. Rome's fourth kill of the afternoon pushed UConn to a 25-21 set victory, going ahead in the match two sets to zero.
The third set was all UConn, as Werkmeister, Kutlu and Maria fueled a 7-0 UConn to start the frame. Herman chipped in two more kills, aided Maria and Rome on the attack to construct a comfortable 18-8 Husky lead. Brenna Wyman (Louisville, Ky.) fired in two consecutive service aces and Cebollero slammed the door with her first kill of the afternoon as the Huskies secured the season-opening W.
Inside the Numbers:
Maria led the Huskies with 11 kills, one shy of tying a career high. As a team, UConn hit at a clip of .382, a mark that would have been fourth-best a season ago. Ufouoma Omeme led the Mountain Hawks with 9 kills in the defeat.
Up Next: UConn is back in action with a doubleheader tomorrow, facing host Binghamton at 1pm and Fordham at 4pm to conclude the Bearcat Classic.
