Bumping with success, realistic with expectations

Yale's women's volleyball team should be riding high after winning two consecutive tournament titles, most recently the Rider Tournament last weekend. But they're not. They know what's ahead—matches against strong Ivy opponents begin in just one week.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH The Bulldogs emerged from the Rider Invitational with a winning record and a positive outlook on the season.

"We're playing well but not letting it get to our heads," middle blocker Carissa Abbott, SM '02 said. "The teams that we played at the Rider Tournament don't at all compare to our tougher Ivy League opponenents."

At the Rider Tournament, the Bulldogs did not drop a single game in any of their matches against Rider, Lehigh, and Long Island to finish 3-0 in the competition and improve their record to 6-3 on the season. Yale easily defeated Rider, its first opponent of the weekend, 15-7, 15-5, 15-9, led by the play of outside hitter Vanessa Herald, ES '02, and Abbott, who contributed 11 and eight kills respectively. Setter Aileen Daly, SY '01, finished with 35 assists and Captain Stephanie McMahon, TC '01, added seven kills and nine digs in the win.

The team started things off on Sat., Sept. 23, with a 15-6, 15-11, 15-10 victory over Lehigh. Herald led the attack with 12 kills in the match, while McMahon and outside hitter Suzanne Hampton, PC '02, provided strong defensive pressure, collecting 11 and 12 digs apiece. The Bulldogs amassed a total of 10 team blocks, solidifying their front line during the match.

According to McMahon, it became obvious as the tournament progressed that the team's defense and hitting was gradually improving, even as new players entered the rotation. "We saw the addition of other players into the lineup at the tournament, including the freshmen," she said. "The freshmen provided a great spark to the games." Head Coach Peg Scofield added, "The freshmen are not only doing well individually, but they are also pushing the upperclassmen to play better and secure their spots. The upperclassmen have responded really well."

During the final match against Long Island (LIU) on Saturday, the overall intensity and cohesion of the team seemed to be at its peak as Yale won 15-8,15-1,15-6. Outside hitter Jeannie Davis, MC '04, a newcomer on the lineup, played a significant role with 10 kills and 12 digs. Herald again helped on both offense and defense, tallying nine kills and 11 digs, while Daly finished with 23 assists. "Our match against LIU was the strongest. We really had a good team flow and things started to click in the game right away. It was a strong note to end the tournament on," Herald said.

W. Volleyball

Record: 7-3 Recent Results: Won Rider Invitational Coming Up: Fri., Sept. 29 and Sat., Sept. 30 at Quinnipiac Tournament

With a 7-3 record, boosted by a recent victory over Central Connecticut State on Wed., Sept. 27 (15-5, 15-10, 15-9), the team is maintaining an optimistic and focused approach towards its upcoming matches, including the Quinnipiac Tournament on Sept. 29 and 30. The players' intensity, deemed "spectacular" by Hampton, also distinguishes the 2000 squad from last season's team. "This year's start is unique because we seemed to pick up from where we left off from last season," Hampton said. "We didn't lose much talent from last season and a lot has carried over. Actually, we seem to be higher now than we were even at the peak of last year's season."

Despite the Bulldogs' success, the players recognize the danger of underestimating the talent and power of future opponents, especially those in the consistently competitive Ivy League. By realistically assessing its victories, the team can acknowledge its strengths and at the same time understand that its hardest test is yet to come. Hampton said, "I think the Rider Tournament was a great stepping stone even though the competition was not too tough."

In preparation for the challenging matches of the regular Ivy season, the Bulldogs must carry over their intensity. The squad is looking to continue dominating its opponents on defense, specifically in attacking the net. Blocking and serve receiving are two core areas that need improvement. "Right now, we're working on passing in serve reception, which is our main weakness," Davis said.

Yale will battle Columbia at home on Fri., Oct. 6 in its first Ivy game of the year. A sense of excitement and enthusiasm seems to surround the team. After finishing fifth in the conference last season with a record of 3-4, this is the time for this year's explosive Yale team to step up and sweep its opponents away. "Everything is up in the air right now," Scofield said. "Schools in the Ivy League have added new freshmen to their talented lineups, and everyone is anxious to see what happens."

Abbott added, "We want to come out stronger than we finished last season. We were kind of disappointed last year, but we'll be happy if we just play hard and leave everything we have out on the court."

Back to Sports...