Injuries, Lack of Cohesion Leave W. Volleyball Sub-.500

In American history, the years 1776, 1929, and 1945 were monumental years that changed the history of the nation.

In the history of the Harvard women's volleyball team, the year 1998 will soon be erased in the memory of Crimson fans.

Only a year after garnering a school-record 25-9 mark in 1997, Harvard (11-21, 4-3 Ivy League) suffered its first sub-.500 season since the 1994 campaign.

The Crimson faced a plethora of problems this season, the most pressing of which was an injury-plagued front line.

Sophomore middle hitter Katherine Hart, the first Harvard player to win Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors in 1997, and sophomore outside hitter Angela Lutich both sat out most of the season because of serious stress fractures. They returned to action during the last month of the season but were unable to save the Crimson from mediocrity.

Moreover, junior outside hitter Linda Jellison, who last year won Second Team All-Ivy honors, also sat out several weeks this season with an injury, further depleting the Crimson's ranks and skewing player chemistry.

These injuries forced the Crimson to constantly juggle its line-up and experiment with different combinations of healthy players.

"I think our biggest weakness this season was our numerous injuries," said co-captain Kate Nash. "No one can control two stress fractures and two sprained ankles. It really presented a challenge to our team dynamic and our team performance. A positive result of it, however, was that other people stepped up."

"We never really established a real chemistry because our line-up changed so frequently with different people coming back and different people getting hurt," said freshman outside hitter Erin Denniston.

The extra playing time that injuries afforded to the reserves will help next season as the Crimson will graduate four invaluable seniors. Forcum, Nash, defensive specialist Catherine Betti, and outside hitter Anne Schafer closed the door on their Harvard careers this fall.

A four-year starter and one of the league's most feared outside hitters, Forcum garnered First Team Ivy League honors this season, with her team leading 3.55 kills-per-game average.

In the middle of the season, Forcum became the newest member of the 1,000 Club--an elite group of Ivy League players who have registered more than 1,000 kills in their collegiate careers.

Nash, a four year starter at setter, has served as the inspirational leader of the Crimson, with her playmaking skills and serving expertise providing the Harvard with the necessary boost at critical points. She was responsible for the execution of the Crimson offense, averaging more than 50 assists this season.

"I'm proud of the way our team came together when facing so much adversity," Nash said. "[T]he night [that] we beat Darthmouth this year was one of the best wins of my collegiate career. Everyone contributed and people really stepped up. It was a fantastic win. I have absolutely no regrets-- Harvard volleyball was the best part of my college experience."

Betti and Schafer have also made valuable contributions to the Crimson during their tenure at Harvard. Schafer, a locker room leader, provided a nice complement to Betti, whose defensive instincts kept Harvard rallies alive during the season.

Despite playing poorly for most of the year, the Crimson attempted to make a run at the end of the regular season.

It gained some momentum right before the Ivy League Championships with a 3-1 record at the Harvard Invitational. With the return of Hart, Harvard sought to win the Ivy tournament.

However, the Crimson suffered a disappointing end to its season, bowing out in the third round of the Ivy League Championship and ending up with a fifth-place finish.

Now, the Crimson awaits the emergence of new leadership. The return of the injury-free Jellison, Hart, and Lutich to the line-up will, without a doubt, improve upon the Crimson's inconsistent record.

"Kristin Schaeffer and Linda Jellison will do a great job as captains next year," Nash said. "They have always been leaders on the court and taking on the official title of 'captain' should not be a big transition."

In addition, Denniston's performance this season served as a sign of hope for 1999. She started in several matches this season and, as the only freshman on the squad, gained much-needed experience that will bolster her skills next year.

Although 1999 marks the end of a dynasty for the Harvard women's volleyball team, the new century seems to be brimming with great hope and youthful promise.