The Duquesne Dukes women’s volleyball team is off to a fast 10-3 start to the season, including a 1-0 record in Atlantic 10 conference play. The Dukes logged their first A-10 win with a 3-1 victory over George Washington on September 27. They also performed well in early-season tournaments, going 2-1 at both the Towson-Morgan State Invitational and the Comfort Inn-Vitational in Morehead, KY. Most notably, they swept the Chick-fil-A Robinson Classic at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, defeating Niagara, Coppin State, and Robert Morris.
Junior middle blocker Ariel Helm has been a standout, earning Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors for the week of September 15. She leads the conference in blocks (59) and posted stellar performances with 22 kills and 20 blocks over three matches, boasting a .487 hitting percentage.
Freshman outside hitter Emersen Schrom has made a significant impact, leading the team in kills with an average of 3.09 per set and topping the team in aces (23), ranking third overall in the A-10. Schrom has already been named A-10 Freshman of the Week twice this season.
As the Dukes continue conference play, they look to build on their early success with key contributions from both veterans like Helm and rising stars like Schrom.