Seven Spikers Struggle; Bruins Top Crimson, 3-0

The Harvard women's volleyball team should have stayed at home Saturday--it would have avoided the long trek to Providence, and a crushing defeat at the hands of Brown.

The first game was a total fiasco, as the Bruins coasted to an easy 15-2 win over the sleepwalking spikers.

"We weren't awake for the first match," team member Marcie Rode said. "We are not good at morning matches, or at long drives. We just didn't play like a team."

The next game followed a similar pattern, as Brown battered the Crimson, 15-5. The spikers had trouble with their offense, as the Bruins continuously blocked their scoring attempts.

And thanks to non-existent Crimson teamwork, troubled offense, and an injury-ridden Crimson team, the hosts bulldozed the spikers in the closing match, 15-3.

Things have not gone well for Harvard this year--plagued by inexperience, renovation of its home court and numerous injuries, the squad has watched its record fall to 3-14.

While the problems of inexperience and renovations are surmountable obstacles, injuries have proved more nagging--and as a matter of fact, the injury situation has only gotten worse throughout the season.

The Brown game provides a perfect example. Only seven players--and even fewer fans--attended the match, just one over the required limit.

Captain Lisa Eskow did not attend because of illness; Suzy Tapson and Pascal Jean-Louis were sidelined by injuries incurred earlier in the season.

Tapson, a middle back outside hitter, may not play again this season. "The source of the injury was constant use and continual jumping," she explained.

The extent of the injury is unknown, although the doctor speculates on a stress fracture. X-rays have shown nothing, and she is scheduled for a bone scan in the near future.

The loss of middle back outside hitter Jean-Louis is no less of a burden to the spikers, but the situation is much more clear cut.

She suffered a badly sprained ankle in a game against Dartmouth at the Indoor Athletic Building, putting her out of action until the November 12 contest against Northeastern. "I went up for a spike and landed on my ankle," Jean-Louis explained.

The Crimson also suffered several minor losses earlier in the season: Viyian Hunt suffered a knee injury, but has now returned, and Kelly Abraham--who never actually played in a game--will be back from a knee injury this week.