Volleyball prepares for victory

We ordinarily associate the act of killing with such mundane tasks as strangling, stabbing, and maiming other individuals. In volleyball-ese, a kill is when an uncontested player hits the ball directly over the net; in other words, a successful spike. If the present indicators are correct, it seems the Yale women's volleyball team will be doing a lot of killing this season, both figuratively and literally.

In terms of personnel, the Bulldogs are formidable. Returning all but one player from a team that won twenty-one games last season, this year's squad of fifteen has no shortage of experience. Four seniors--captain Leigh Brezler, PC '97, Mai Yee Mok, BK '97, Regina Murphy, PC '97, and Erin Walsh, SM '97, hope to lead the team to another 20-plus win season.

Other key returnees include juniors Sarahliz Braugh, JE '98, Phoebe Dann, CC '98, and sophmores Rosie Wustrack, BR '99, last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and Carla Dane, SY '99. The squad is under the direction of coach Peg Scofield, who is back for her eleventh season, and her assistant, Shawn Monohan.

As intimidating as the team seems on paper, they still recognize some areas that could use improvement. "We've really got to get that killer instinct--we need to work together and play to win," Dane said.

Coach Schofield pinpointed the direction in which she is trying to move the team. "We're looking to hurt the other team on an offensive level, Last year, our play was consistent and we played with a rhythm, but this time we'd like to really put pressure on the other team," Schofield said.

The team seems well on its way to achieving these goals. The Bulldogs opened their season with a 3-1 record and a second-place finish in the Colgate Classic last weekend. "We played two five-game matches and the players showed a lot of heart," Scofield said. "It was nice to get things going."

These results are all the more impressive when considering the injuries already incurred by several players. After a nasty collision with Dane, Dann suffered a second-degree concussion and was out for the remainder of the tournament. Chris Bertao, JE '99, is currently in rehabilitation, and injury has rendered starting outside-hitter Murphy out for the entire season.

Fortunately, it is only the beginning of the season, and there are many games remaining to determine a set rotation. However, the schedule presents many challenges. The team certainly looks forward to match-ups with rivals Penn and defending Ivy League champion Princeton. In addition to the other Ivy League opponents, the Bulldogs are set to play in four tournaments, leading up to the pinnacle of the season, the Ivy League championships. The team has high hopes for a successful showing there, ultimately aiming for the Ivy title.

But the squad is staying focused on the present. "We want to take each game one at a time, not looking to save our energy for the Ivy League Tournament, but to play with a lot of heat every time we get on the court," Brezler said. "I am very optimistic about this season."

The Eli team is looking forward to a fantastic year. Fans can expect to see a lot of heads rolling on the volleyball courts throughout the fall.