c/o Wesleyan Athletics

After waiting over a year to take to the court once more, Wesleyan women’s volleyball has started their season off strong with a current record of 7–1. The team defeated Kean University in a doubleheader last Saturday, winning handily with scores of 3–1 and 3–0.

The team’s only loss on the season so far was their disappointing 1–3 finish against Bowdoin in the NESCAC season opener. Despite playing hard, The Cardinals were unable to make up for dropping the first two sets to the Polar Bears. 

Despite the loss to Bowdoin, the Cardinals came back stronger in their match the next day against reigning NESCAC champion Tufts, ranked number 21 nationally. In a surprise upset against the Jumbos, who had yet to lose a game this season, Wesleyan pulled through with a tight 3–2 win. Libero Jenna Otaola ’22 racked up a career high of 28 digs, which proved instrumental in helping Wesleyan nab a victory. In the front row, Bella Ahearn ’23 reached a double-digit number of kills: 17. She remarked that the game was the highlight of her season so far.

“We showed up with grit and determination and beat the best team in our region after an unexpected loss to Bowdoin,” Ahearn wrote in an email to The Argus. “It wasn’t always pretty but we fought hard and won. This is the type of match that we are always hoping to play. They’re the most rewarding even if you lose because you learn a lot. I couldn’t stop smiling on our 3 hour bus ride home.”

Head Coach Ben Somera stressed that the team has been spending a lot of time reviewing the basics of match play, which has paid off against tough opponents.

“The team is very young and [there are] six [returning] athletes who have played a competitive season,” Somera wrote in an email to The Argus. “We are trying to keep our system very simple and make sure we are good at the basics. Our primary objective is to be competent at all the first touches; serving, passing, and digging. As we develop in those areas we will have the ability to expand our skill set and grow our competitive abilities.”

Volleyball, like all fall sports, is returning to play for the first time since the pandemic interrupted athletics in the spring of 2020. In order to practice with restrictions, Ahearn said that volleyball had to get creative, which led to some unexpected benefits. 

“We played a lot of outdoor volleyball last year which I think really helped with our ball control but we all wanted to get in the gym more,” Ahearn wrote.

Unlike most fall sports, however, volleyball is indoors. As a result, the team subjected to more strict rules in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

“We are wearing masks at practices, when we travel on buses, and on the bench,” Somera wrote. “Wesleyan is allowing the athletes on the court to compete without masks which is inline with NCAA recommendations and all bench personnel will continue to wear masks.” 

Ahearn added that while volleyball may seem to be more affected than outdoor sports, the team is more fortunate than most indoor sports when it comes to COVID-19 rules.

“Volleyball is already a pretty socially distanced sport so our play has not been as affected as other contact sports,” Ahearn wrote.

Overall, the unfortunate circumstances posed by the pandemic have led the team to work harder and cherish the moments they have together playing the sport they love.

“I think that missing a season has really motivated us to make the most of this year,” Ahearn wrote. “Every practice and every point has now become that much more valuable as [COVID-19] has made us appreciate all that we took for granted. It is a privilege to be playing the sport that you love at the collegiate level. For most if not all of us these are our last four years playing at this level and we all just lost one of them. Even though practices can sometimes be tough, everyone is excited to get in the gym and make up for that year we lost.”

Looking ahead, the team plays Colby at home on Oct. 1 at 8:00 p.m. and Bates again at home on Oct. 2 at 2:00 p.m. Both matches will be exciting opportunities to watch volleyball and a chance for the Cards to continue their four game winning streak.

Cameron Bonnevie can be reached at cbonnevie@wesleyan.edu.

Lily Goldfine can be reached at lgoldfine@weslyean.edu.