W. Volleyball Avenges Early-Season B.C. Loss

The Harvard women's volleyball team did something it couldn't do just 11 days ago--it beat Beantown rival Boston College last night.

And not only did the Crimson (4-3) beat the Eagles (5-7), the home team didn't even let the Eagles win a game, shutting them out 3-0 with a 15-7, 15-5, 15-11 victory.

On September 11, in the Crimson's first game of the season and the Eagles' seventh, B.C. beat Harvard 3-2.

"They probably came in expecting to se a weaker team," co-captain Kristen Schaeffer said. "[Winning is] an awesome feeling."

The Crimson jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first game before the Eagles stormed back to earn a 5-4 edge.

But the momentum switched after Schaeffer swung for a crucial kill to force a sideout. That started a Crimson rally that ended at 11-5 with Schaeffer blocking, killing and tipping successfully for the last three points before an Eagle timeout. The senior middle hitter would finish the night with 11 kills.

After the break, B.C. grabbed two points but would lose control of the serve. Sophomore outside hitter Erin Denniston capped the game with two huge kills for a 15-7 win.

Denniston, who celebrated her 19th birthday with the win and a cake, finished the night with a .483 hitting percentage and a game-leading 17 kills, almost all of which were clutch.

"Erin did a great job swinging on the outside," Harvard Coach Jennifer Weiss said.

The second game began as a mirror opposite of the first. B.C. got out of the blocks with three quick points. Harvard came back to tie it at four after a series of kills from junior setter Julie Yick, junior middle hitter Katherine Hart and Denniston.

After exchanging sideouts, Hart helped the Crimson open up a lead by serving two aces en route to a 10-4 advantage. The Eagles would manage just one more point in the game and seemed surprised by the relentless Crimson attack.

"Our chemistry on the court is really starting to show," Schaeffer said. "We are starting to gel."

But the third game would prove to be the proving ground for the Crimson. The Eagles, down but not out, were ready to fight for the match.

The two teams traded sideouts and points like pudding snacks and juice boxes at lunchtime to open the game.

Harvard opened up small 7-4 and 10-7 leads, but the Eagles flew back into the game for an 11-10 lead as the Crimson wheels started to come loose. A Harvard timeout served as an appropriate pit stop.

The serve changed hands five times before the Crimson tied the score at 11. Harvard never looked back.

"They always seem to be a challenge to us and we rose to the occasion," Weiss said.

Behind the serving arms of Hart and Yick and a few B.C. mistakes, the Crimson closed out the game, 15-11.

Yick sparked the Harvard offense with a game-high 47 set assists in the contest and junior outside hitter Angela Lutich anchored the Crimson defense with a game-high 13 digs.

The Crimson out-killed the Eagles, 51-40.

This weekend, Harvard will participate in a tournament at Connecticut and will face UConn, Southern Methodist, New Mexico and New Hampshire.

This will be the first time Harvard has seen either Southern Methodist or New Mexico.

Weiss and Co. are looking forward to showing their wares to teams from other parts of the country.

"I think it's going to be a great weekend," Schaeffer said.

If the team can ride last night's momentum into Storrs, Conn., it will be.