Rowan women’s volleyball got a pair of sweeps on Saturday against DeSales University and Brooklyn College at Esby Gymnasium. The Profs defeated both squads 3-0 on volleyball’s Pink Day.

Pink was the color of the day as players, parents, and supporters came together to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Dressed in pink arm sleeves and decorative hair bows, the Profs were playing for more than a win, they were playing for a bigger cause. 

“Everybody’s life is going to be touched by cancer in some way, shape or form, whether it’s somebody they know, somebody that’s close to them, somebody that they offer support,” Jespersen said. “Volleyball is like nothing when you can compare it to something like cancer, right? We’re blessed to be able to play the game that we love.”

The Desales Bulldogs weren’t the only bulldogs Rowan would be facing. The team’s first game of the day was their pink out match, where they defeated the 7-8 DeSales University Bulldogs in three sets (25-13, 25-21, 25-20). In their second game of the series, Rowan University took on the 7-6 Brooklyn College Bulldogs, where the Profs dominated in three sets (25-13, 25-14, 27-25). 

Freshman outside hitter, Jessica Smart led the team with 21 kills for the day and freshman setter, Raven Albrecht led the team with 58 assists. 

Like the teammates beside her, Smart wasn’t just playing for a win. Smart played in honor of her grandmother, Patty Smart, who is a three-time breast cancer survivor. 

“For me, it was a very personal game…just playing in honor of her and in honor of my dad,” Smart said. “I think just having the whole team there with me, and obviously coach with it as well, like it was a really powerful day, and I think we really did a good job.” 

Esby gym was decorated with pink balloons and the bleachers were filled with supporters wearing various shades of pink and fuchsia, but the Profs emphasized that pink is more than just a color. Outside of Esby gym, tables were lined up with hot pink beaded necklaces, raffle baskets and light pink tee-shirts, all being sold to fans. The proceeds of these sales would go to The Hope Venture Fund, benefitting the HEADStrong Foundation. 

Proceeds raised through this PINK OUT campaign will support families affected by cancer with financial, emotional and residential support through lodging at Nick’s House and the services and mission of the HEADStrong Foundation.

In the campaign with HEADstrong, the Profs aimed to reach $2,000 in support of breast cancer awareness. Before the game took place, the Profs surmounted that goal and raised $4,750, not including donations made at the dual matches. 

Smart wasn’t the only freshman impacted by the breast cancer awareness game. Raven Albrecht, the team’s freshman setter, visited Rowan her senior year of high school to watch the breast cancer awareness game, and officially being a part of it has been impactful to her.

“It was just really, like, impactful for me, recognizing when we visited Nick’s house how fundraising can have such a direct impact on the people that are going through treatment and right now,” Albrecht said. “So I just really love that we’re playing for something bigger than, just volleyball, just bigger than ourselves. 

At the start of the series, the Profs each dedicated the games they played to the people in their lives affected by cancer. After falling behind in the third set against Brooklyn College, the girls came together, remembered who they were playing for, and fought.

“They actually talked about cancer. They brought it into the huddle, and I think Vanessa said ‘let’s remember what we’re playing for and who you’re playing for,” Jespersen said. “Give it all you got because you gave a flower today to say you were playing for somebody.”

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