Women's volleyball slams doors on Greensburg

The women's volleyball team got a break on Saturday - briefly. It played University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg and came out with its second win of the season taking two games in a row, 15-6, 15-13.

The Yeowomen seem to be taking the victory in stride, however. The fact that they lost to UP-Johnstown, also on Saturday, and Baldwin-Wallace on Tuesday seem to speak louder.

The UP-Greensburg team was weak, and the two losses are a reminder of a problem the team has had all season: lack of confidence in pressure situations.

Both UP-Johnstown and Baldwin Wallace proved to be competent, even good opponents. But neither team was unbeatable.

Johnstown won the first game of the match with an early lead which the Yeowomen started to catch up on too late. Johnstown took the game 15-4, before Oberlin punished its opponent with a payback in game two, 15-2.

With one apiece, the stage was set for a tie breaker in the third and final game. Head Coach Suzanne Garland says that it is an inevitable part of the sport, where the pace is controlled by one team, then in the next moment, to the other. Johnstown gripped Oberlin by the throat , and the Yeowomen were unable to cut lose. The game was Johnstown's, 15-6.

Oberlin walked into the Baldwin-Wallace gymnasium with a specific plan in mind.

This was to make it as hard as possible for number 25, Baldwin-Wallace's middle hitter, to score. She has a reputation for burying point after point into the opponent's court side.

Oberlin started off with an ace serve by sophomore Jill Brockelman. Brockelman tossed the ball up in the air, high enough so she could meet it the split second that she was about to descend from her jump. Bang. Point for Oberlin.

In general, however, the serves by Oberlin were inconsistent. Number 25, the infamous middle hitter settled for a lower scoring match, due to Oberlin's tight double man defense. A double defense on one person means, however, often no defense on another player.

The outside hitter for Baldwin-Wallace took advantage of the situation, scoring many points. Baldwin -Wallace won with scores 15-4, 15-4, 15-5.

Last week the team spent some practice time talking about how to make themselves win. What could they do to not lose focus when a rotation error occurs? What could they do to keep the blood pumping when they are in the lead, instead of becoming nervous and afraid to win?

Garland pictured the moment of epiphany for her team - the players were so focused and so together that the score was no longer in the forefront of their minds.

An Oberlin player tossed the ball up to serve, only to be stopped by a whistle from the referee. The referee crossed both arms on his shoulders, signaling as if to say, "Game's over. You won, you won," said Garland, acting out the scenario.

And this is what will make the scenario happen: "We need to forget our record [which is 2-16] and focus on how well we know we can play. Wins will follow," Garland said.

Senior co-captain Carissa Bennett will testify to the difficulty of making this a reality. It is no easy task, trying to rile up your teammates at game point, when your score is in the single digits.

"I think a lot of us lose confidence in the game. We get sluggish," said Bennett. In these moments, Bennett tries to convince her teammates that where it counts is in the head. She'll say something like, "So what if we're losing? Other teams have come back after losing at game point."

Garland refuses to predict a record for the team, or to worry about whether the Yeowomen will eventually perform to their potential.

Already she sees improvement. Rotation errors are infrequent now. Some players seem to have gained confidence, although others still remain timid. "It is just a matter of time until success," she said.

One game at a time, she plans to take it. One step at a time.

So what if the record is 2-16? Other teams have turned it around. The Yeowomen may do just that on October 11th, their next game, against Wooster.