Spikers Nab Second in Tourney

The mystery is just beginning to unfold Everyone is wondering, why does the Harvard women's volleyball team play so poorls one day and so well the next.

Saturday happened to be one of those good days.

While participating in a six-team found robin at the University of New Hampshire. Harvard captured second place with three victories and two defeats. The Crimson record once again rests at an even 500. 9.9.

After an initial loss to the University of Maine. Harvard mounted a rally to grab three out of the day's remaining four matches stopping UNII Boston College and Salem State--only to bow to a very impressive MIT squad.

Harvard Coach Karyn Altman said yesterday. "I hope that the team decided what I decided that I was pretty sick of watching them play they stay they had been playing. They had less energy than was needed to win."

Altman agrees that prior to the UNII tourney. Harvard had been in the midst of a slump which had circumvented all aspects of its game. Losing five out of seven matches, the Crimson seemed unable to master any consistent and stable attack. The squad's hitting appeared less than aggressive and its defense lethargies.

The loss to Maine was the same style with which they had been losing." Altman said And after the 15-12, 7-15, 15-7 defeat. Altman feared that "the same frame of mind that said. Oh God, we're going to lose again would continue. Everything could have snowballed again, especially since Maine was one of the tournament's weaker teams."

But instead, exactly the opposite happened Harvard regrouped to dominate UNH and BC. Altman was particularly pleased with the victors over the Wildcats, a team second in talent only to MIT.

"The UNH match was key." Altman said. "Because we played really good against a [fine team], but we also had been losing a lot. That win snapped us out of our losing streak. We played exceptionally against New Hampshire, especially in defense."

Altman claimed that Harvard's loss to MIT actually reinforced he opinion that the Crimson has forgotten its losing ways "Emotionally, the MIT game didn't get us down, because we went out and clobbered Salem (15-4, 15-4) right after that 1: ever there was it."

Harvard All-Ivy setter Margaret Change "did an exceptional job of setting." Altman said Like the rest of the squad. Change had been performing sub par Margaret touches every single ball." Altman said. "So when her play improves, everyone is better. In most sports, when one thing snaps into place, everything does."

Whether or not Harvard is on the right track still remains to be seen A test of Harvard's new consistency comes Tuesday when the Crimson takes on MIT for a rematch.