Sept. 15 marked a fantastic start to the women’s volleyball season. The River Otters earned their first sweep in four years against Pacific University, taking the first set 25-17, the second 25-18, and the final 25-17. While Pacific struggled to assemble cohesive plays throughout the game, the River Otters were competitive and precise. The Otters provided an engaging game and brought a sense of pride to LC following their victory.
Even before the game began, the crowd was full and vibrant. The players warmed up fiercely. The starting lineup proved to be strong, including opposite hitters Lexi Musselwhite ’30, Isabel Meleán-Williams ’27 and Kaitlyn Jenson ’27; middle blockers HB Schuett ’27 and Skyler Staab ’30; and setter Ruby Kuerschner ’27.
Musselwhite earned the first point for the Otters with a spike. The points continued to pile up thanks to impressive serves from libero Coco Otto ’29 and blocks from Schuett and Meleán-Williams, aided by opposite hitter Morgan Armitage ’28. Once the Otters were ahead by a score of 10-3, Pacific called for a timeout, but it ultimately made no difference. Pacific called another unsuccessful timeout when the score reached 15-8. The Otters proceeded to win the set 25-17. Most notably, the dynamic 6-7 duo of Schuett and Armitage secured the set with an incredible block, earning the set point and leading the Otters toward victory.
The second set was a closer match, with the Otters scoring the first few points quickly. A timeout was called as the two teams tied at 6-6. Otto accumulated 14 digs throughout the game, including an impressive save when the ball was all the way off the court. This daring save by Otto led to a competitive back and forth, where a block from Schuett and Musselwhite ultimately earned LC the point. Afterwards, an alternating series of shanks plagued both teams — first the Otters and then Pacific — which allowed for Meleán-Williams and Musselwhite to make powerful kills. Musselwhite secured the set-winning point, taking the Otters into the third set with a score of 25-18.
The final set opened with Pacific taking the lead — but the way the Otters played, it did not last long. A spike from Jenson tied the teams at 4-4, one of her impressive 9 kills throughout the game. A series of shanks and touches then put the Otters ahead. After Staab and Musselwhite pulled the Pacific blockers and the score reached 15-9, Pacific called a timeout. Somehow this only boosted the Otters’ momentum. The dynamic 6-7 duo came through to win yet another set – this time with a solid serve from Schuett followed by a decisive spike from Armitage, claiming victory for the Otters.
Jenson, Meleán-Williams and Armitage certainly made their presence known on the court this game, making 9, 8 and 5 kills respectively. Musselwhite tied Armitage for 5 kills as well, adding 3 blocks to the game — an impressive and exciting accomplishment for the freshman. Overall, the River Otters earned 34 kills this game, with 6 blocks, 30 assists, 12 aces, and a 0.181 hitting percentage.
Although this was the first official game of the volleyball season in the Northwest Conference, it is a continuation of the positive performances seen the week prior at the University of Rochester Invitational. Of the four games played, the River Otters won two, with each victory being a sweep for the Otters.
These games demonstrate encouraging progress for the LC volleyball team, marking the team’s first winning streak since 2022. It is evident that the wisdom and leadership accumulated by senior players such as Schuett and Jenson, coupled with fresh talent from underclassmen players like Otto and Musselwhite, may be the key to victory this season. Considering the careful communication and competitive coordination that the Otters brought to the court during their first official game, the team appears to be in great shape. All signs point towards a fantastic season.
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