Women’s Volleyball Rallies for Pair of Ivy Wins

Sometimes, everything just seems to fall into place.

After dropping 11 of its first 14 matches, the Harvard women’s volleyball team turned it around this weekend, winning two big conference matches against visiting Columbia and Cornell at the Malkin Athletic Center. The Crimson (5-11, 2-2 Ivy) won six sets over the weekend, equaling the number that the squad had won over the previous nine matches combined. In the process, Harvard compensated for its two league losses earlier in the season to Dartmouth, leveling its conference record at 2-2.

In the first weekend game, the Crimson roared back from a 2-0 deficit against the Lions, taking the next three sets to win the match.

The following night, the team again found itself in a hole early, this time against the Big Red. Once more, Harvard staged a comeback, winning three straight sets to take a weekend sweep.

“We’ve been having great practices,” junior libero Christine Wu said. “It just hasn’t been translating back on court. But [we’re] finally getting there, and I’m just so proud of our team. We had a fantastic weekend.”

HARVARD 3, CORNELL 1

Harvard faced Ancient Eight opponent Cornell (3-10, 1-3) on Saturday night, just one day after beating Columbia in a match that has the potential to be the turning point in the team’s previously lackluster season.

In the first set, the Big Red quickly took the advantage, easily winning 25-17.

Rejuvenated by Friday’s comeback, the Crimson was unfazed.

“We started off a little slow,” said sophomore outside hitter Taylor Docter, “but I think everyone knew after the way we played [Friday] that it was very possible for us to turn it around and come back. And we did.”

In the second set, things began to go Harvard’s way. Tied 23-23, junior co-captain Anne Carroll Ingersoll’s shot slid along the top of the net and finally fell on Cornell territory, giving the squad a match-point opportunity. The Crimson took advantage, winning the next point to even the contest at one set apiece.

Harvard squeaked out a 26-24 victory in the third set.

In the fourth and final set, the Crimson held off a late Big Red charge to win, 25-20.

“Today’s game was awesome,” Harvard coach Jennifer Weiss said. “We stuck to the game plan, [and] we were patient. We did a great job.”

As the front players banged out kills, Wu quietly had a big game, saving a number of points with her acrobatic defensive stops. Over the weekend, the junior had 31 digs, with 10 coming on Saturday. Her 1,109 career digs are seventh in team history.

“Wu, as always, has amazing defense,” Docter said. “We all love her to death.”

HARVARD 3, COLUMBIA 2

In front of a packed crowd, the Crimson squared off against visiting Columbia (9-4, 1-2) on Friday. Early on, the match seemed to be headed in a familiar direction for Harvard, as the host team dropped the first two sets, 25-19.

Then, finally, after a season full of frustration, things fell into place.

“Our team just started clicking—it just started gelling,” Wu said. “Everyone just started playing lights-out, all heart and soul and passion, and it just felt so good.”

After taking the third set, 25-19, the Crimson and the Lions faced off in what became a marathon set. As the game came down to the wire, the teams traded points until the score was tied at 29-29.

Finally, Harvard broke through. After sophomore setter Beth Kinsella earned a crucial kill, the Crimson grabbed the ensuing point, winning the fourth set and evening the match at two games each.

Harvard then closed the door on Columbia, squelching a late Lion comeback to take the final set, 15-12.

“[Friday’s] match was great,” Weiss said. “We showed a lot of heart and a lot of character in that one.”

Docter’s play was instrumental in the team’s victory. Tallying a team-leading 17 kills, the sophomore had a .441 hitting percentage.

“[Docter] played fantastic,” Wu said. “She really stepped it up. She’s been working hard in practice, and that’s obviously showing here in games.”

“That’s the Taylor I know,” Weiss added.

But the real sparkplug for the Crimson was Kinsella, who accounted for 44 of the team’s 56 assists. Her 256 assists this year lead the team.

“Beth, our setter, had one of the best games she’s ever played,” Docter said. “It just turned into such a dynamic system after the third game, and Beth started running a really fast offense.”

It was this change in pace that completely shifted the game’s momentum.

“It wasn’t going fast in the beginning,” Weiss said. “We were kind of sitting back, and then we started going fast, and we broke their defense down...We got it going finally.”