Amid a whiteout in the stands, the majority of which were filled by white t-shirt-sporting fans, Temple topped Connecticut in five sets at McGonigle Hall on Wednesday.
The school’s diamond gems, cheerleaders and diamond band were all in attendance to cheer the Owls in the team’s ninth consecutive win.
Throughout the entire match, the crowd was chanting and supporting the Owls so enthusiastically that it helped drown out the sound coming from the court almost entirely.
“Every time they come, we know that we’re going to have great energy,” junior libero Alyssa Drachslin said. “When the crowd’s into it, it’s easier for us to get into it.”
“We have a great fan base that comes out and supports us every match,” coach Bakeer Ganes said. “We want to make sure we give them something to remember. We are not just playing for ourselves, we are playing for the fans. We want represent Temple in a great way.”
UConn proved to be a resilient opponent, trading wins with the Owls throughout the first four sets, which forced the play of a fifth set. Two of the five matches featured at least 10 tied scores throughout gameplay, and four lead changes.
With the win on Wednesday, the Owls moved to a 9-1 record at home, continuing their impressive performance at McGonigle.
“It’s nice, but we try to focus on not worrying about the record,” Drachslin said. “As we just showed tonight, being at home or being away, no match is easy. Your record doesn’t matter the moment you step on the court.”
UConn, true to Drachslin’s comment, tested the Owls’ resolve with five matches remaining in the regular season.
“There are certain games where I think the crowd helps us win. This was for sure one of them,” Drachslin said.
Ashlyn Miller can be reached at ashlyn.miller@temple.edu or on Twitter @AshlynMiller8.
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