Kuld Taking Over at the Right Time

Time after time the ball sailed his way, and with an emphatic swing Erik Kuld proved that he was finally ready to take over. The Harvard men’s volleyball co-captain began the season with big shoes to fill, looking to spearhead an offense that graduated prolific outside hitter Brady Weissbourd ’09, and after a week of leading the Crimson to two victories—and leading the squad in kills—Kuld appears to have found his stride.

“[Kuld] came in this year knowing that he would be asked to play a bigger role in the offense,” Harvard coach Brian Baise said. “As a senior he’s come in this year…and really pushed the team along in the best way possible.”

This push included turning a 0-11 start into a three-game conference winning streak that left the Crimson in second place in the Hay division at week’s end. Crucial to this stretch has been the stellar play of Harvard’s senior outside hitter, including a team-leading 20-kill performance against Emmanuel last Tuesday and an effort against Newbury on Thursday in which the standout led the squad in both kills (27) and digs (14).

Yet, according to Baise, beyond Kuld’s thunderous spikes and solid defense, it was the co-captain’s perseverance through the losing streak that kept the squad on track.

“[Kuld] is a leader and the team follows his example,” Baise said. “When we had lost a bunch of matches, his work ethic and confidence never wavered. He’s been a central part of this turnaround as much off the court as on it.”

“Leading by example is not sufficient anymore,” Kuld added. “When the team encounters adverse situations, it falls to the captains to lead the team through those difficult situations.”

But without question, Kuld’s dominant play has equaled his leadership skills. The 6’1” outside hitter’s offensive explosion this past week was not unprecedented, as Kuld has been a model of consistency in the past, appearing in every single set in his sophomore and junior years (130 in total). During those campaigns, Kuld finished in the team’s top three in kills per game as well as in the top 25 in the nation last season in service aces per game with 0.35.

“He plays every part of the game extremely well,” Baise said. “But also the thing you don’t see is how he practices. He’s extremely competitive…He never takes a point off, and that’s why he’s as good as he is—the mindset that he brings.”

But Kuld’s success in the spotlight was not guaranteed. As 2010 loomed, the co-captain knew he would have to step up his game.

“I remember talking to [Kuld] in September and he was already thinking ahead, putting extra work in the weight room and extra repetitions at practice,” Baise explained.

The added effort has paid off, as Kuld currently leads the Crimson in kills per game (4.02) by a healthy margin, while standing third in digs (92) and tied for fourth in service aces (11).

Those numbers will only continue to rise if the senior performs as he did in those crucial league contests against Emmanuel and Newbury. Kuld received 54 sets against the Nighthawks, accounting for nearly 41 percent of Harvard’s attempts and proving that he has finally assumed that central role in the Crimson attack.

“To hit so many [sets] and put them down, you have to be in tremendous shape,” Baise marveled. “[Kuld] has always been one of the hardest workers…and it’s all about the team for him, never about himself.”

With these team goals in mind, the co-captain will look to take his squad where he has already arrived—to the next level.

“My personal goal…is to keep contributing as best I can in any way I can to the team so that our team goal is reached,” Kuld said.

At 3-1 in league play, that goal is very much in sight. Harvard stands alone in second place with half of the Hay Division season ahead, and if the squad finishes the year with the same effort, it will guarantee itself a playoff berth for the second consecutive season under Baise.

With Kuld leading the way, both on the court and off it, the only thing left uncertain is how high the team can rise.

—Staff writer Max N. Brondfield can be reached at mbrond@fas.harvard.edu.