M. Volleyball Wins Home Finale

Seniors Ed Pankau and Joe Herger ended their home volleyball careers in storybook fashion. On Saturday, with relatives flying in from all over the United States, co-captain Pankau and outside hitter Herger carried Harvard (10-4, 6-2 EIVA) to a dramatic five-game marathon win over Queens College (15-5), 3-2 (17-15, 9-15, 15-8, 14-16, 15-13).

"I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my career here at Harvard," Herger said. "You couldn't have scripted it better."

The five-game classic was a testament to Pankau and Herger's leadership on and off the court. With drastic momentum shifts and defining plays, Saturday's game highlighted the calm and steady resilience that has characterized Pankau and Herger as players here at Harvard.

After the emotionally tense and tumultuous match on Saturday, Harvard grinded out another grueling five-game win against Sacred Heart yesterday, 3-2 (15-13, 14-16, 15-2, 14-16, 15-13). The win against Sacred Heart keeps Harvard in first place in their EIVA division.

Harvard 3, Sacred Heart 2

Yesterday's match against Sacred Heart was a far cry from the three-game rout the Crimson dealt the Pioneers earlier this season.

Exhausted after a long match the day before, Harvard came into yesterday's match battered and sore.

"Our overall play was marred by complete physical and mental fatigue," freshman setter Mike Bookman said.

The Crimson, behind Bookman's 22 assists and middle blocker Justin Denham's nine kills, pulled out a tough 15-13 win in the first game.

"[Justin Denham] was unstoppable at the beginning of the match," Pankau said. "Put up a set, get a kill--it was a simple formula."

The simplicity of the Crimson attack was unexpectedly complicated in the second game when junior outside hitter Brian Stevenson came down with an ankle injury. Sophomore Conor Gaughan filled in nicely, though, and Harvard barely lost the second game 16-14, and came back with a vengeance to win the third game 15-2.

With a chance to finish off the Pioneers in the fourth game, the Crimson faltered and succumbed to the weekend's fatigue.

"The fourth game was excruciatingly long and we were definitely running on fumes as the match wore on," Pankau said.

The Pioneers won the fourth game 16-14, but could not stave off the relentless Crimson attack in the deciding game.

Bookman and Pankau tacked on two aces as Harvard pulled out the fifth game 15-13, and the match 3-2.

Harvard 3, Queens College 2

The Queens College Knights were Harvard's hardest competition up until this point in the season. The Knights came into Saturday's match atop the Hay division of the EIVA.

"Queens is definitely a very talented team," Bookman said. "Winning against them really proves our worth in the EIVA."

Herger and Pankau, playing in their final game at the Malkin Athletic Center, came out firing on all cylinders. Pankau had six kills on eight tries (.750 hit percentage) while Herger tacked on four kills.

To cap a well executed and tenaciously played first game, Pankau aced his last serve to seal a 17-15 win.

However, the Knights also had a few aces up their sleeves. In the second game, Queens dealt Harvard three straight aces that jacked the Crimson's chances at an easy win.

The Knights, behind the screaming theatrics of fiery outside hitter Maxim Auguste, cruised to a 15-9 win in the second game.

Harvard answered in the third game, with Herger and Pankau leading the way. Herger had 10 kills in 13 attempts (.769) with Pankau contributing eight kills in 11 attempts (.727).

In the fourth game, the solid play of Pankau and Herger built a 14-9 lead and positioned the Crimson to win the game and the match. However, the Knights, one point from elimination, clawed their way back to win the fourth game 16-14 behind the kills of Auguste.

It all came down to the fifth and final game. The stage was set for Herger and Pankau to shine.

After the lead had shifted back and forth, Harvard and Queens were knotted at 14. Herger looked at Pankau during a Queens time out and they knew what they had to do.

Herger came out and unloaded a thunderous kill to lift Harvard to a 15-14 lead. Pankau followed suit and killed the ball to give Harvard the 16-14 win in the fifth game, and the 3-2 win in the match.

Echoing Herger's comments, Pankau reflected on his play in his final home match:

"I couldn't ask for a sweeter way to finish my career at Harvard."