W. Volleyball Looks to Halt Skid

The Harvard women’s volleyball team will look to regain momentum and halt a two game losing streak against Dartmouth tonight at 7 p.m. at the Malkin Athletic Center. The contest will kick-off both Harvard’s Ivy League season and the four-team Crimson Challenge.

“We want to show everyone that we are the best and that we can win the Ivy League,” said sophomore middle hitter Mariah Pospisil. “That all starts with the Dartmouth game.”

Tomorrow, the Crimson (4-2) will host Georgia State at 1 p.m. and Binghamton at 7 p.m.

The weekend could be a pivotal one for Harvard. The Crimson lost only one game while racing to victories in its first four matches to begin the season, but enter the weekend after being swept in consecutive contests.

The Crimson, which posted a 3-4 Ivy League record in 2000, faces a tough early test in the Big Green (5-3). Dartmouth enters the Crimson Challenge after claiming the title in its own tournament, the Dartmouth Invitational, by losing only one game in three matches.

Two Big Green players were named to the All-Tournament team, including senior middle blocker Jennifer Madsen.

Madsen was also awarded honorable mention Ivy Player of the Week for her 36 kills in the tournament.

Rounding out the field of the Challenge are the Lady Panthers of Georgia State and the Bearcats of Binghamton.

The Panthers (10-3) began the season a sluggish 0-3 before reeling off 10 straight victories.

Like Dartmouth, Geogia State is coming off of a tournament victory, claiming the Jacksonvilled State Invitational title. Led by junior outside hitter Randi Van Dam, who was named the Atlantic-Sun’s Player of the Week, the Lady Panthers picked up their second tournament championship of the season.

Meanwhile, the Bearcats (2-6) have struggled, losing five of their last six games.

Harvard, though, is more worried about its own play than the play of its competitors.

“We really need to focus on our team chemistry and execute the offenses and defenses we already have in the system,” Weiss said. “We need to execute our game.”

Leading the Crimson on the court will be captains Erin Denniston and Mindy Jellin. The senior outside hitter Denniston is posting 4.0 kills per game, and the junior setter Jellin is running the offense fluidly, averaging 13.0 assists.

However, more than their play, Weiss is impressed with their leadership on the floor.

“We don’t have any one person who is really excelling,” Weiss said. “But the captains are really keeping us together. Erin and Mindy have truly dedicated themselves to this team, and have put the team’s success before their own.”

Pospisil agreed that Denniston and Jellin motivate and improve the team.

“They are both amazing players and are so excited about volleyball,” Pospisil said. “When you play with either of them, you really want to do your best.”

A young player that has flourished under the leadership of the veterans is freshman outside hitter Kaego Ogbechie.

Ogbechie raised her kills-per-game average to 3.76 after posting a match-high 15 kills in the Crimson’s loss to Northeastern on Tuesday.

Ogbechie has now led the Crimson in kills in back-to-back games, and her season kill total of 64 is the second-highest total on the team. Erin Denniston leads the team in kills with 76.