STORRS, Conn.- Fresh off a bounce back win Wednesday night, UConn volleyball returned home Saturday afternoon to take on the Butler Bulldogs at the UConn Volleyball Center. 

Errors were the story early in the first set, with each side hampered by miscues as the score stayed close, with the Huskies taking an early 5-4 lead. The freshmen led the way for UConn, as McKenna Brand fired in two aces, and Loren Winn rattled off three kills to open a 10-4 lead for the hosts that forced Butler to call a timeout. A balanced scoring attack led by Taylor Pannell, Audrey Rome, and Hanna Tylska ran up the first set lead for the Huskies, doubling up the Bulldogs 21-10, forcing another timeout. Grace Maria showed her versatility on both ends, with a block and the set-ending kill as UConn took the first set, 25-13, hitting at an impressive .481 hitting percentage. 

Pannell continued to fuel a relentless UConn offense, stringing together three kills in a row in the second set as the hosts again built up a lead, jumping in front 9-5. Butler continued to battle and get back in striking distance, as Alaleh Tolliver and Laiya Ebo each had a kill for the Bulldogs. However, with a packed UVC crowd behind them, the Huskies stayed hungry in the set, stretching the lead to 16-10 after a wild rally before the media timeout. A 4-0 run late in the frame got UConn on the brink of a 2-0 set lead, with Butler errors and a Rome kill extending the advantage to 23-18. Another Rome termination and a Bulldog miscue lifted the Huskies to a second set 25-20 victory, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

Back-to-back kills from Winn paced UConn in the third, as they leapt out to a 7-1 lead, pushing Butler to talk things over. A relentless 7-0 Husky run put the home team in the driver's seat, with the lead reaching double digits at 17-6. The third set was all UConn, finished off by a deafening kill from Pannell that sent the UConn faithful home happy. The Huskies stayed perfect at home (13-0), sweeping Butler on Saturday afternoon. 

Loren Winn led the Huskies with 13 kills. Laiya Ebo had 8 kills in the defeat for Butler. 

Of Note: UConn OH Emma Werkmeister returned the floor from injury for the first time since October 9^th, notching an assist in the process. The .409 team hit % for the Huskies was the second-highest mark put up all season (.415% against CCSU on 9/21). Winn's individual hit % (.647)  was also the second-highest for a Husky all season (Audrey Rome vs Buffalo .667% on 9/8). 

Up Next: UConn heads back on the road next weekend, traveling to Seton Hall on Friday night and Georgetown on Sunday. Butler returns home to take on Marquette on Wednesday.