The ball flies over the net and bends down toward Cardinal territory. Co-captain of the women’s volleball team Tory Molnar ’07 digs the ball and sends it up into the air close to her target, setter and freshman firecracker Ellie Healy ’10. Ellie reads the ball and presents a clean set right by the net. Time slows. The crowd begins to spark with electricity as they see Lisa Drennan ’09 begin to hone in on the ball from her spot fifteen feet off the net. A few quick steps and she elevates, timing the jump perfectly. The ball hangs weightlessly at its apex, right in front of her. Her eyes briefly scan the faces of the opposing team, already etched with terror. She unleashes her fury upon the ball; the clean hit echoes throughout the gym as the ball rifles across the net and smacks the back corner of the court cleanly. The players on the opposing team comfort each other. The crowd roars.
That’s how Drennan has been making her living this year, already leading the NESCAC in kills per game with 5.24 after a strong weekend in which the Cards knocked out both the Tufts Jumbos and the Amherst Lord Jeffs. Lisa had a .278 hitting percentage over the weekend and added 33 digs, three blocks, and two aces over the course of the nine games.
“It’s truly amazing to play with her on the court,” said Rebecca Rodger ’08. “I never lose confidence in her ability to put the ball down, which is an amazing asset. Her consistency, power, and speed are what make her such an awesome athlete to watch. I like to run next to her in drills because she makes me move faster, work harder. I love her energy and her attitude.”
Lisa’s dynamite style of play is backed up by both a strong commitment to defense and a behemoth work ethic.
“She shows as much commitment to defense as to her hitting, which you don’t always get with hitting studs like Lisa who can really pound the ball,” Molnar said. “It’s obvious she cares about the game. She works really hard every day in practice.”
Drennan’s teammates appreciate her play both on and off the court. The sophmore contributes heavily to the team atmosphere that has been the incubator for such a strong start to this year’s season.
“She’s someone you want to be around all the time off the court, and she definitely plays a role in the chemistry on the court too,” said Emily Dine ’09.
Off the court, Drennan, considering both psychology and environmental science as possible majors, comes off as a congenial and friendly girl, which is a stark contrast to her Rambo-like presence on the court. She likes to play ping-pong and watch TV.
“I love the show Lost and I’m a big Kiefer Sutherland fan,” Drennan said. “Who isn’t though, I guess?”
The Cards added another non-conference win to their record this past Tuesday as they moved to 5-1 overall. Next up for Lisa and the Cardinals is the Blue Jay Classic at Elizabethtown, Sept. 22 and 23.