Volleyball snaps three week losing streak

Teamwork, team spirit keys in two wins at Lycoming

Eleven straight losses is a long way to slide, and such a streak tends to take team morale along with it.

"We were pretty frustrated because we knew we could play better," said first-year Mariana Padias on the Oberlin women's volleyball team's three week long losing streak. "We were pretty much beating ourselves."

Fortunately, losing - to themselves or to other teams - is no longer an issue after the women picked up two wins in this past weekend's tournament hosted by Lycoming College in Pennsylvania. While Oberlin would finish the tourney with a 2-3 record, to all involved the trip was a huge success.

"I think this weekend was real important to breaking that slide," said head coach Suzanne Garland. Her players agreed. "I do think there was a change there," said sophomore Mai Lynn Grajewski. "We're definitely a little more optimistic."

The victories were a morale booster not just because the Yeowomen won, but because they earned them through hard play and teamwork. "Our team started to pull together at this tournament," said sophomore Anna Ruth. "We started to trust each other, to do our job on the court."

Oberlin opened play on Friday with a match against Montclair State University of New Jersey. The women would lose the first game 10-15, but storm back to take the second in convincing fashion 15-7. After an 11-15 loss in the third game, Oberlin took Montclair into a tiebreak in the fourth game, eventually winning 16-14. They sealed the match with a hard-fought 15-13 win. Sophomores Anna Ruth and Alana Kenmore were key to the Oberlin offensive, contributing well over half of the team's total kills.

The Yeowomen followed that match with an even stronger one against Susquehanna University (PA). "They [Susquehanna] didn't strike us as being unbeatable," said Grajewski. Susquehanna had something to say about that in the first game, blanking the Oberlin 0-15. "After that happened, we said 'we have to step up,'" said Grajewski. Step up was exactly what they did, winning three of the next four games 16-14, 11-15, 15-12, 15-10.

"I was super proud of us for beating Susquehanna," said Padias. The come-from-behind victory brought a team that was hitting their groove for the first time in weeks even closer together. "It wasn't any one person's doing, it was the whole team together," said Ruth.

Going into Saturday, Oberlin had earned a spot in the winner's playoff bracket, but, due to their seeding, drew a first round match against Carnegie Mellon University, the eventual tournament champion. The Yeowomen didn't let CMU's tournament dominance phase them as they promptly jumped out to a 8-0 lead in the first game.

"Their [Carnegie Mellon's] coach was shell-shocked," said Garland. Oberlin was unable to hold the lead however, and fell in straight games 13-15, 5-15, 2-15. "They're just a really good team," Ruth said of Carnegie Mellon. Later, playing for third place against Catholic University (D.C.), Oberlin was physically drained, but managed to draw the match out to four games before bowing out of the tournament.

Garland noted that senior captain Sarah Breon really played well defensively and served several aces [ed. note- serves, in volleyball or tennis, that the opponent cannot return, are called aces] on the second day of the tournament. "I'm real proud of them," said Garland referring to the team's overall play in the tourney.

Oberlin's performance over the weekend, especially the shock they gave Carnegie Mellon, proved one thing for certain: "Our team is really good, and it's just mental at this point," said Garland.

The wins could mark a turning point in the season for the Yeowomen. Last year, the squad won three games in the first weekend of play and then didn't win again all season. Oberlin began this season 4-1 before hitting the 11-game slide. "[It was the] same thing last year- it was really important to get those two wins," said Garland.

To do it, the squad will have to keep some momentum going as they enter one of the toughest weeks of the season. They play at home against both Wittenberg and Allegheny this weekend. The teams are ranked 1-2 respectively in the conference, and Wittenberg was ranked 14th nation wide at the startof the season.

"Wittenberg is always strong and I'll tell the team that. We'll have to play at or above our potential to beat them," said Garland.

"I think the team realizes it can play, now it's just a matter of committing themselves to win."

Oberlin is not without its strengths. Padias is currently fifth overall in the NCAC in assists. Ruth is third overall in kill percentage. Plus, the team's spirits are most certainly raised. "We're definitely a little more optimistic," said Grajewski. "Any time we have a chance to play well together we go into the next game feeling pretty optimistic."

"I actually feel pretty good," said Padias. "I think we're ready to let ourselves start winning."

Perhaps Coach Garland best captured the team's new mindset: "A big thing for the team is 'no more Loserville'," she said.

Oberlin plays host to Wittenberg at 11 a.m. and Allegheny at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be in Philips Gym.