WSU's Women's Volleyball team lit up the Nutter Center with back-to-back record crowds, as well as an intense battle with the No. 7 Pitt volleyball team, and wins over both Ohio teams. The weekend was proof of how far the program has come and how much energy the fans bring.
Weekend match-up
On Sept. 12, 13 and 14, WSU's Women’s Volleyball team took on multiple opposing teams during the WSU Women's Volley Tru by Hilton Beavercreek Invitational, an event hosted at the Nutter Center. The team competed against teams like Ohio University, The Ohio State University and Pittsburgh University.
WSU put on an electric, record-breaking weekend. It was the first time Raider volleyball had played in the Nutter Center since 1991, and the fans sure did show up for the event. In back-to-back games, WSU set new attendance records, packing the arena to cheer on their team.
On Sept. 12, WSU battled No. 7 Pitt and set a program attendance record with 1,239 rowdy fans. In the following game, on Sept. 13, WSU faced Ohio State and broke that record with 1,858 rowdy fans cheering in the Nutter Center.
On the court
Not only were records being broken at the tournament, but WSU also took down both Ohio teams and put up a strong fight against No. 7 Pitt.
The first day of the invitational Sept.12 featured WSU vs. No. 7 Pitt. In a competitive four-set match, WSU came out strong and won the opening set 27-25, showing they could put up a fight with one of the top teams in the country. The Raiders battled hard in the next three sets but ultimately fell, with Pitt taking the match 3-1.
On Sept. 13, WSU faced Ohio State and showed exactly what kind of a winning team they are. With all the fans their cheering on the Raiders it encouraged them to pull out the win in a 5-set game.
Freshman outside hitter Ella Seeger spoke on the environment and energy of the game.
“When we beat OSU, that was really good, [and] everything was great all around, I think our energy was up there but I think just being in there and being in that environment with all those people is always so much more encouraging in a way. And it helps the energy just because of how [many\ people are in there," Seeger said.
WSU wrapped up the invitational on Sept. 14 with a strong 3-0 win over Ohio, finishing off a weekend that showcased their talent, determination and ability to compete with top teams. The Raiders left the Nutter Center with momentum and confidence as they look ahead to the rest of the season.
Cheering on the Raiders
With the invitational drawing such big crowds, the energy in the arena played a role in pushing the Raiders to victory over the Ohio teams and the fight against Pitt.
According to the NCAA, fans can directly impact a game just by being there.
“Fans may have an effect on the game by simply attending. Student-athletes performance is different when there are people in the stands from when the seats are empty. Part of this affect is through physiological arousal," the NCAA website states.
WSU fans showed up all weekend for the Raiders. It was the perfect time to be there, as it had been years since the team played in the Nutter Center, and the Raiders gave fans plenty to cheer about, battling hard in every match and keeping the crowd engaged from start to finish.
Finance major and fan at the game Chloe Thompson spoke on why this game was important to go to.
“Ohio States' volleyball team has always been a competitive team to watch, and knowing that [WSU] had beat them last year, I knew it was definitely going to be a great game, and [WSU] didn’t disappoint.”
The weekend showed how much WSU volleyball has grown and how big of a difference the fans can make.
