Getting ready

Team unity has been the strength of the Yale volleyball team so far this year. The Bulldogs return a strong core of veterans who bring with them a great deal of experience and skill. They are joined by freshmen Erica Tarin and Leslie Coben, who have already made large contributions to the squad. All of the players are excited by their impressive start to the season. "We started from where we left off last year and we didn't take any steps backwards," middle blocker Rosie Wustrak, BR '99, said.

Kill!

So far, the Bulldogs have eight wins and four losses. Included in this record is a first place finish at the Drexel Tournament. What already looks like a respectable record is all the more impressive when one considers the competiton the team has faced. This past weekend, the Bulldogs traveled on an extensive East Coast road trip which was designed to be as rigorous and demanding as the Ivy League Tournament will be in November.

On Fri., Sept. 27, the Bulldogs headed south to Virginia to play nationally-ranked George Mason. "We had scheduled them anticipating that they would beat us pretty badly," head coach Peg Scofield said. Nonetheless, the Bulldogs proved that they could hang with this Big East powerhouse. The first game was competitive with Yale losing only 12-15. Unfortunately, they lost the next two games 7-15 and 6-15.

"We were leading George Mason in the first game, but then we lost the momentum and allowed them to take control of the match," Tarin said.

Neverthless, coach Scofield was proud of the team's performance against George Mason, stating that the outing was the team's best performance so far. She attributed the team's high level of play to excellent team chemistry.

On Sat., Sept. 28, the Bulldogs traveled to Washington, D.C. to play against another formidable member of the Big East--Georgetown. Yale put away the Hoyas, three games to two. "Georgetown was the best win we've had since I've been here," sophomore hitter Katharine Foster-Keddie, BR '99, said. The serving of junior Phoebe Dann, CC '98, and the defensive play of senior Mai Mok, BK '97, were key elements in the Yale victory.

Sun., Sept. 29, found the Bulldogs in New York with matches against Syracuse and Hofstra. The Bulldogs were perhaps a little travel-weary in the match against Syracuse, losing 1-3. But the team rallied, bringing the weekend to a close with a strong group effort that resulted in the defeat of Hofstra in three consecutive games. Dann and Coben contributed defensively to lead the team to the win. Coach Scofield wanted the team to concentrate on being strong at the end of the day, which proved to be one of the team's toughest accomplishments.

After returning home, the Bulldogs were greeted with the exciting news of two well-earned awards. Wustrak was named Ivy League Player of the Week, and the team itself was ranked 10th out of 46 teams in the NCAA's first district. The district encompasses several conferences, including the Ivy League and the Big East. While impressive accomplishments, these awards have only increased the Bulldogs' desire to improve.

"We need more of a killer instinct. We have to maintain our level of play, but focus on attacking other teams more," Scofield explained. The team expects a boost from the return of several injured players who should play key roles including Christina Bertao, JE '99, Carla Dane, SY '99,

This week the team has been preparing for the Yale Invitational, which will be their first home appearance this season. The Bulldogs are scheduled to take on another Big East team, Rutgers, at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night. "Rutgers has beaten a lot of other teams in our league--they will be a good test for us. We're hoping for a lot of fans, especially against Rutgers, because the game promises to be really exciting," Wustrack said.

On Sat., Oct. 5, the Bulldogs will take on Northeastern at 1:00 p.m. and Holy Cross at 5:00 p.m. All of the games will be held in the main gym at Payne Whitney. Fans should also attend the tournament to witness a record being broken. Captain Leigh Brezler, PC '97, is approximately 58 assists from becoming Yale's all-time assist leader. Once again, this would not only be an incredible individual accomplishment, but an outstanding team accomplishment as well.

Looking past this weekend, the Bulldogs should be very competitive in the race for the Ivy League Championship. "This year all of the teams in the league are fairly even, so the championship is up for grabs," Wustrack said. "It's going to come down to the team that wants it the most. We're practicing so that we can be that team."