Young Women Spikers: Ready, but Homeless

The Harvard women's volleyball team began practice nearly two weeks ago for the fall season.

Unfortunately, because the Indoor Athletic Building is being reconstructed, the squad has had to practice on a temporary court--which has irregular length, non-standard girth, a shoddy net.

The court is so unsuitable for volleyball that this week's regularly-scheduled home game against Wheaton will have to be played away in Norton, Mass.

None of these inconveniences has daunted the women's team, however. In fact, Captain Lisa Eskow says that she was obsessed with beginning play this year--no matter what difficulties arose.

The rest of the young team seems just as eager. Ten of the 13 members are either freshmen or sophomores, and the other three are juniors.

Though this means the players are inexperienced, it also means that the entire squad will have this season and next to play together and improve.

In fact, Steph Salinas--a junior and a starting outside hitter--thinks that this year's team is the best she's played on in her three years.

Coach Seth Farber--a senior on the men's team--also expects that his squad will be more polished in time for the Ivies in November.

And by October 10, you can watch the Crimson play its first home game--against Lowell--at the renovated regulation-sized court in the IAB.