NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After a road stand and fifteen matches of non-conference volleyball, The University of New Haven Women's Volleyball team opened up conference play with a rivalry match, as the Chargers went across the street for a battle of the Elm City as they took on the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University, as New Haven looked to sweep the Owls just like they did in both meeting with the Owls in 2023.

New Haven and Southern Conn. opened up the first set trading points back and forth as Sofia Kamke (Santa Catarina, Brazil/Escola Tecnica do Vale do Itajai) picked up New Haven's first kill of the match to put New Haven on the board. Early through the set, both teams traded early points before New Haven began to pull away. A New Haven 4-0 run lead by a pair of kills from Amber Williams (Lilburn, Ga./Brookwood) forced a Southern Conn. timeout and New Haven never looked back from there. Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) picked up a kill to put New Haven up by nine and the first to 20 and the final five points came quickly as Carleigh Vedder (Moorehead, Minn./Moorehead) won the opening set with an ace as New Haven took the lead in the match with a 25-15 win. Southern Conn took the early lead in the second set but it was NEw Haven that came back quick responding and not giving their rivals anything easy. A 4-0 run by New Haven forced the Owls to call a timeout as New Haven got within two points of Southern Connecticut. Out of the break,Williams led a 3-0 run bringing the total run to seven as New Haven took their first lead of the second set. New Haven carried that momentum through the rest of the set as Kamke and the Chargers closed the set out on another 4-0 run and it was Kamke with the kill to win the set, 25-19 and up 2-0 in the match. The Chargers swept the Owls in both meetings in 2023 and New Haven looked to keep that trend entering the third as Kamke put the Chargers on the board first with her kill. Southern Conn. took the early lead in the set trying toi force a fourth, but New Haven had other plans, as a 6-0 run where Katherine Rank (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa) had a pair of kills took the lead, that New Haven never gave back. Entering the final point Sofia Kamke (Santa Catarina, Brazil/Escola Tecnica do Vale do Itajai) and Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) each had 11 kills to lead New Haven through the match. With the options, Tori Borton (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) found Kamke who found the hardwood to pick up the win and edge Juergens to lead New Haven in kills. With Kamke's 12 kills of the match, New Haven won 25-16 as they swept Southern Connecticut State 3-0 improving to 9-7 on the year and 1-0 in NE10 conference play. Kamke led the attack with 12 kills, as Payton Malinoski (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) had 12 digs and Tori Borton (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) had 37 assists in the match. 

With the win on the road for the Elm City and for their opening NE10 conference match, New Haven opens up conference play on their home court where they were perfect a year ago in their championship campaign. New Haven opens up play at home when they host the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday October 12 at 1:00 PM from Charger Gymnasium. All updates, schedules, and post-match recaps for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.