ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Harvard Rookie Ingersoll Kills Big

After facing difficult competition early in the season, the women’s volleyball squad traveled to Hanover, N.H. for the Dartmouth Invitational this weekend with a 2-7 record.

Three days later, Harvard (5-7, 1-0 Ivy) returned home with three more wins, including one against the league foe Big Green.

Although a variety of strong performances lifted the Crimson to its weekend success, one in particular provided the spark that pushed the team to a 9-2 set record over the weekend.

That spark came from freshman Anne Ingersoll.

Throughout the weekend’s three games, Ingersoll put up 34 kills and an average attack percentage of .435.

In her first taste of league action, the freshman hitter came out of the gate aggressively against Dartmouth, scoring 19 kills and hitting for .531 in the first round of the tournament. Ingersoll flexed her defensive muscle as well, posting a team high three blocks.

“Watching her play, most people would be surprised that she is a freshman because she is just so smart on the court,” said senior hitter Katherine McKinley. “She is really a unique situation.”

The rookie especially made her presence known in the second set of the game, putting up seven kills using assists from junior Chelsea Ono Horn and fellow freshman Christine Wu.

After the second frame, Ingersoll kept up the pace, scoring 12 more kills in the third and fourth sets with only two errors.

Against the Bryant Bulldogs, Ingersoll set the tone for Harvard’s comeback after the Crimson dropped a disappointing first set, 25-10.

Ingersoll boosted morale with a spectacular kill early in the second to reverse the momentum.

Throughout the game she added another 10 kills and proved her versatility by also leading the team’s defensive efforts.

Ingersoll contributed all of Harvard’s eight blocks.

“[Annie] is really versatile and we needed a strong force in the middle and she filled the spot perfectly,” freshman Paige Livingston said. “Since she plays the middle she has to be able to do everything.”

Coming off the bench in the final match against St. Francis, the rookie played a supporting role in the Crimson’s shutout of the Terriers.

She notched four kills off of seven attempts and hit for .429 in the three-set sweep.

Ingersoll started two of the weekend’s three games, a notable fact considering she only played volleyball in high school for two years.

Teammates attribute Ingersoll’s performance over the weekend to her work ethic off the court.

“[Ingersoll] is an incredibly hard worker and serves as an incredible leader in practices,” McKinley said. “She is always pushing herself to her limits when she trains.”

Thanks to this training, Ingersoll’s performance in the tournament provided Harvard with both a needed boost to kick off the Ivy League season as well as a prospect to watch in the future.

“She is a constant leader and a life force on the court,” McKinley said. “She demands the best of herself and the best of those around her at the same time.”