The Yale women’s volleyball team faced a challenging defeat against Brown on Saturday, losing a hard-fought match in five sets, with scores of 21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 22-25, and 15-17. This setback brings Yale’s record to 9-7 overall and 5-3 in Ivy League play, while Brown improved to 11-6, boasting a 6-2 Ivy record.
Yale’s Arya Jue ’27 reflected on the match, expressing that the team battled well but missed crucial opportunities to secure the win. The match opened with a competitive first set where the Bulldogs and Bears exchanged strong offensive plays. However, a late surge from Brown, which included a pivotal 5-0 run, ultimately sealed the set in their favor.
The Bulldogs rebounded impressively in the second set, bolstered by standout performances from Mila Mijailovic ’28 and Cam Bolane ’28. Yale not only took charge but also capitalized on Brown’s inability to respond effectively to their runs.
In a tightly contested third set, both teams continued to trade points until a late rally by Yale, concluding with a decisive kill from Bolane and a clever play from Halle Sherlock ’26, enabled the Bulldogs to edge out Brown.
However, the fourth set saw Brown regrouping and responding strongly to Yale’s advances, ensuring they maintained their foothold in the match. Late runs by both teams kept the score close, but Brown emerged victorious.
The fifth and final set started with Yale taking an early lead. Yet, Brown steadily climbed back, ultimately seizing control to finish the match with a narrow victory, highlighted by a gripping series of point exchanges.
Bolane led the Bulldogs with an impressive performance, totaling 15 kills and eight blocks, while also contributing 21 points. Ava Poinsett ’29 achieved another double-double, adding 11 kills and 16 digs to the team’s efforts, alongside consistent defensive support from five players recording over ten digs each.
Reflecting on key contributions, Jue praised Bolane for her impactful performance, underscoring the importance of her blocks and kills in keeping the Bulldogs competitive.
Looking ahead, the Bulldogs will aim to bounce back when they host Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania this upcoming weekend. With the determination shown throughout the match against Brown, there is optimism that Yale can regain momentum and achieve success in their forthcoming games.