Spikers Swing By Big Green in Four Games

Bad habits are sometimes hard to break.

The Harvard men's volleyball team has had the tendency of starting slow and fighting to get back into its matches.

But Saturday, the team broke out of its habit when it defeated league rival Dartmouth, 3-1, at the MAC.

Harvard (2-3) set the tone from the start when freshman setter Pat Harlan started the first game by serving up five straight points. The Big Green (2-5) scored the next three points with their captain-coach, David "The Vacuum" Vaccaro serving. That's as close as it got.

The Crimson trounced Dartmouth, 15-6, in the first game, behind the strong net play of middle hitter Brian Ehrlich and outside hitter Albert Kim.

"We changed our practice ethic this week, we were much more focussed and intense," Ehrlich said. "I think it carried over into the first game."

The second game began with the green-eyed monster of inconsistency haunting Harvard. It started with each team trading points, neither showing any dominance. The Crimson jumped out to a 8-5 lead, aided by Ehrlich's powerful serving. But Harvard stalled, losing the game 15-9.

"We had the feeling we could roll over Dartmouth," Harvard Coach Ishan Gurdal said. "We let them back in, but we tightened up in the third game."

"Our problem is we'd get a lead and try not to lose instead of trying to win," Ehrlich said.

No single player dominated the Crimson's victory in game three. All six starters and substitute Gino Patrizio made solid contributions in the 15-9 decision.

The victory was in sight going into the fourth game. Harvard spiked it's way to a 6-2 lead, but could not seal the match. The Big Green held on and fought back from a 11-7 deficit to tie the game, 11-11.

Marin County

Harvard's Vince Marin stepped up to the occasion by booming a spike at the feet of a Dartmouth player, giving Harvard a 14-11 lead. Then the sophomore outside hitter served up an ace to ice the win.

"Harvard played a good, sound game," Vaccaro said. "They were consistent and we were inconsistent. That was the difference."

Gurdal has found his starting six and established a consistent rotation, an element which the Crimson had lacked at the opening of the season.

It could be the beginning of a good habit.