Shannon Welch/Staff Photographer
After snapping a five-game losing streak last week, the volleyball team appears to be turning things around. This past weekend, Wesleyan claimed victory in both of its matches against NESCAC rivals.
The first of the Cardinals’ weekend matchups was against Middlebury on Friday, Oct. 4. Wesleyan opened strong, capping off a hotly contested first set by a score of 25-22. The second set proved more challenging, as Middlebury aced Wesleyan six times off the serve to take the set 25-11. This was perhaps a more typical performance on the part of Middlebury, as captain Kim Farris ’14 noted.
“Midd was previously undefeated this season, and they won NESCACs last year,” Farris said. “I think that winning that first set gave us the confidence that we needed.”
It would certainly seem so, as the Cardinals were able to bounce back from the second-set loss. The Cards snatched the next two sets by close scores to ultimately power through for a 3-1 (25-22, 11-25, 25-21, 25-22) victory.
Farris led the way yet again with 18 kills, although the scoring output was more evenly distributed than usual for the Cards. Four different players, including Farris, recorded at least five kills. Claire Larson ’15 was a major facilitator, contributing 39 assists in the winning effort. Larson also made an impact on defense with eight digs, second on the team. The game marked the first conference win for the Cardinals.
“Beating Midd was really big for both our NESCAC standings and the team’s confidence and pride,” Farris said. “We fought for every point, and I think that is what made Midd realize we weren’t going to give up.”
The volleyball team had little time to revel in its major victory, however, as the next day brought another NESCAC matchup. On Saturday, Oct. 5, the Cardinals squared off against Hamilton, a team that had been experiencing similar early-season struggles.
Despite dropping the second set by seven points, Wesleyan took the first, third, and fourth sets with relative ease to cruise to a 3-1 (25-23, 18- 25, 25-16, 25-19) win. Scoring came on the strength of the powerhouse trio of captains Farris, Kate Centofanti ’14, and Monica Leslie ’14, who recorded a combined 37 kills. Larson was once again the primary facilitator, while Rachel Savage ’17 and Centofanti held the defense with 18 and 15 digs, respectively.
The game against Hamilton gave Wesleyan its second NESCAC win and fourth victory overall. The sudden turnaround left players feeling excited about where they are and optimistic about where they’re going.
“I think the entire team has stepped it up,” Farris said. “I think all of the returning players have improved since last year, and the first-years are definitely contributing as well. The team as a whole has even improved since the first week of the season.”
The Cardinals improved their NESCAC record to 2-3 with the weekend wins, propelling them into the running for the conference playoff. Tied for sixth with Conn College and Trinity, Wes is currently poised to receive one of the eight postseason berths. It’s a big improvement to say the least, but the members of the team are making an effort not to avoid complacency, acknowledging that there is still a long road ahead.
“In order to keep up the momentum we need to keep improving our match play,” Farris said.
But in the wake of such strong performances, it’s hard for Farris to keep a sense of optimism at bay.
“We have really come together as a team,” Farris said. “We have gained the confidence we need in order to win.”