The volleyball team looked unstoppable this weekend. As the host of a four-team Invitational, the Bears showed no hospitality on the court, as they swept all three games to clinch the tournament title. The team is not yet a third of the way into the season, but it already posts a 7-1 record that matches its wins total from the entire 2007 season, when Bruno finished 7-17.
The Bears kicked off the weekend on Friday night against Stony Brook. The Bears took control of the match early, taking the first two games, 25-18 and 25-19, while the impenetrable defense held the Seawolves to a .065 hitting percentage. In what looked like a locked win for the Bears, the tenacious Seawolves refused to give in and caught the Bears off guard with a two-game comeback, 25-20 and 25-22, to put themselves right back in the hunt. The final game was a hard-fought battle, and Brown fell behind late, 13-12, but two consecutive kills put down by co-captain Lyndse Yess '09 gave the lead back to the Bears. The Bears ultimately edged the Seawolves, 16-14, to take their first victory at the Invitational.
"The team played very consistent and stayed focused," said Head Coach Diane Short. "We lost a little focus (in the third and fourth games) against Stony Brook, played a little flat, but overall, we played well and played like a team."
The team chemistry has been the key to the Bears' success so far this season.
"Last year, we might have two people playing really well, but this year, everybody is playing well," Short said.
The high performance standard was set from top to bottom, with the two senior captains leading by example. In the game against Stony Brook, Yess posted a double-double with 19 kills and 14 digs. Beside her, co-captain Natalie Meyers '09 led the Bears with 52 assists and 19 digs. Meyers was later named to the All-Tournament Team along with teammates Annika Gliottone '12 and Danielle Vaughan '11.
"The seniors are really leading the team," Short said. "Meyers is making better decisions this year in her assists. She is our quarterback on the team. Lyndse, although she was not named an All-Tournament Player, she played like a senior."
Their Friday game against Stony Brook was the toughest match the Bears played all weekend. After clinching that victory, the Bears were unstoppable in their next two matches against Quinnipiac and Bryant, sweeping both teams in three games. Not only did the Bears sweep, they also shut down their opponents' hitting percentage in the hundredth of a point range. In their match against Quinnipiac, the Bears' defense held the Bobcats to a .065 hitting percentage in the first game and a zero hitting percentage in the final game, while the offense put down a .360 hitting percentage to take the win. In their final game against Bryant, the Bears again overpowered as they shut down the Bulldogs while hitting at .583 in the final game to put a period to their perfect weekend.
This weekend boosted the team confidence as the Ivy League season draws near.
"We go out and give our 100 percent every time," said Gliottone, who was named to an All-Tournament Team for the first time in her collegiate career. "We have the talent. It doesn't matter who we are playing, whether it's (defending Ivy League champion) Princeton or whoever, we go out and fight each time."
Short also believes that her team "will be ready" for the upcoming Ivy League season.
"This year, we are not beating ourselves; we are beating teams we should beat," Short said. "Starting the Ivies is like starting a new season. We certainly will bring our play up a notch."
