A burst pipe in the athletic complex at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., has forced the school's women's volleyball team to move their matches from their usual location in the field house to the Sumers Recreation Center and Varsity Gym.
According to a post on the school's website, it was discovered in early July that a pipe burst in the walls of the air conditioning, which lead to a leak that spilled down to floors of the field house. The cause was a malfunction in the supply line to a drinking fountain in the AC.
Renovations to fix the issue began in August, and the school projects the court will be done by October 7 before the end of the volleyball season, according to athletic director Anthony Azama.
It was decided that the field house would be unsafe to play in for the foreseeable future while the floor is being replaced, according to athletes familiar with the situation, so the Bears are using a different court in the Athletic Complex until the problem is resolved. Especially aggravating for WashU was that the Field House was equipped with an entirely new floor two years ago as part of the AC renovations.
“It definitely put a damper on our hopes for the volleyball season,” said Zoe Foster, a senior middle blocker on the team.
Bleachers will be moved into the facilities for spectators, but space is much more limited in the athletic complex than in the field house. For alumni weekend, the larger courts in the Rec Center allows for multiple games to continue at once with extra space for fans.
