NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers volleyball topped Washington, a top 50 RPI squad, in four sets Friday afternoon at the College Ave Gym, downing the Huskies 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20.

Rutgers saw a season-high 18 kills from senior Tara Garvey and served up 12 aces, including six from junior Jenna DeLaMater, making the most by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten match since 2021.

 

• Senior Tara Garvey was one of a trio of Scarlet Knights in double-digit kills with 18. Sophomore Aspen Maxwell swung .310 with 12 kills and senior Lexi Visintine posted 10 kills to go along with eight digs and three aces in her final collegiate contest.
• At the line, Rutgers collected 12 aces to bring its season total to 204 for the most aces served by the squad since the rally era began back in 2008 and obliterated the previous record of 156 set in 2011. Junior Jenna DeLaMater's six aces were not only a career high, but the third most by a Scarlet Knight in both a rally era and Big Ten match. Visintine, who had a trio of aces, wrapped up her career with 104 aces across her four years "On The Banks", the second most of any Scarlet Knight in the rally era and two shy of tying the rally era career mark.
• Sophomore Lily Bolen notched her 11^th double-double of the year and 13^th of her career behind 27 assists and 11 digs.
• Classmate Alleigh Dutton was also in double-digit digs with 14.
• At the net, sophomore Natalie Robinson made six stops while Maxwell and redshirt freshman Mira McCool had three each.

• SET 1 (25-22) | The afternoon kicked off with Washington needing time to talk things over after Rutgers started off with a 7-3 advantage. A 6-2 run extended RU's lead to 15-9. While a Lexi Visintine attack put the Scarlet Knights up 16-10, the Huskies fought back with an 8-2 burst to take the lead. Down 19-18, Rutgers punched right back with back-to-back-to-back points. Tara Garvey and Mira McCool both got kills in while a Washington miscue returned RU in front at 21-19. Washington answered back to tie the opening frame for a third time, but the Scarlet Knights closed out the victory on a 4-1 run, thanks in part to Jenna DeLaMater's second ace and Visintine's fifth kill of the frame.

• SET 2 (22-25) | RU kept momentum going by taking an 11-5 lead. The Huskies, however, came back using an 8-2 run for a 17-16 edge. Rutgers answered, though, with four-straight points to regain the lead and finish outscoring Washington 9-5 to go up 2-0. Garvey posted six kills on 13 swings with only one error to hit .385 and DeLaMater contributed a trio of aces.

• SET 3 (23-25) | The set was even on eight occasions, but it was the visitors with the late surge to take the frame. Rutgers went in front with a 7-1 push to claim an 11-8 edge. Aly Borellis served up an ace to give RU a 21-18 lead, but the Huskies battled back, closing on a 7-2 run. Aspen Maxwell and Garvey led the attack with four kills each.

• SET 4 (25-20) | The Scarlet Knights and Huskies played to seven early ties. On the final tie at 8-8, it was a Natalie Robinson punch back on the over ball to cap a 7-2 Scarlet Knight run that gave the home team a 15-10 advantage. RU was in front the rest of the way and led by as many as six and never led the Huskies closer than three. Garvey led the charge with five kills, while match point was taken on the block from the hands of Maxwell and Robinson.