Over the past few seasons, the Colgate University women’s volleyball team has established itself as a Patriot League powerhouse. With two straight NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022 and a 49-7 record against league opponents over the course of a three-season span between 2019 and 2022, the Raiders have been nothing short of dominant in-conference.
Led by reigning Patriot League Coach of the Year Ryan Baker, the Raiders sought to regain some momentum during their home opener on Sept. 7 after losing three straight matches in the Penn State invitational, including a three-set sweep to #14 Penn State.
They were set to face off against West Virginia University in the home opener, but the Mountaineers posed a tough matchup due to their membership in the volleyball powerhouse Big 12 Conference. As determined underdogs, they went into the game powered by home-crowd energy and motivated by the pre-match unveiling of their 2022 Patriot League championship banner.
The crowd was loud and energetic throughout the contest. Sophomore Corrigan Peters, who was in attendance for the stunning victory, spoke highly of the atmosphere.
“Attending the home opener was really special. The crowd was electric and the game was really competitive and exciting. There isn’t much more we could’ve asked for as fans.”
The game remained close throughout, but in the end, the Raiders prevailed through five sets. Senior outside hitter and 2021 All Patriot League First-Team Member Libby Overmyer led the squad with 14 kills, while junior Abby Shadwick added 13 more kills. The Raiders really separated themselves from the West Virginia Mountaineers due to their lack of errors — while WVU committed 31, the Raiders held themselves to 20.
Many on the team attribute the tough fought performance to the rigorous preseason training and countless hours the team has put in off the court. Fifth year middle blocker Sophie Thompson, who currently sits fifth in the nation for blocks per set, is proud of the work the team has put in.
“The game against West Virginia was super fun and it was exciting to get to play them for our home opener. This weekend we play Loyola and Navy who have always been good competition in the past. I think our difficult preseason has prepared us well to take them on and I am super excited to see how we do this weekend!”
The Raiders began in-conference matches this past weekend and continued building on their strong start to the season. First-year outside and Rookie of the Week Milan Bayless commented on the team’s strong performance.
“It felt really good starting Patriot League play 2-0. Sweeping Lehigh [on the road] was awesome. I’m excited for us to be home for the next two weeks and ready to play Navy and Loyola this upcoming weekend.”
As of Sept. 19, the Volleyball team sits at 8-4 and is undefeated in four home games. The team’s next two games at Cotterell Court will occur on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23 against Navy and Loyola-Maryland, respectively.
