W. Volleyball Triples Win Total, Emerges as Team to Beat

So much improvement rarely brings such little satisfaction.

Despite more than tripling its 2001 Ivy League win total, the Harvard women’s volleyball team finished its season disappointed. It wanted an Ivy title.

After racing to a 9-1 conference mark, the same squad that had finished 3-11 in the Ivies the year before was poised to clinch its first ever league title. With only four matches remaining, Harvard had a half-game lead on defending co-champion Penn, and the Quakers—who had dealt the Crimson its only league loss of the season—were set to visit the Malkin Athletic Center that weekend.

But before Harvard could get its revenge, it dropped a crucial, five-game match to Princeton on Friday night. Penn completed the weekend sweep on Saturday, and the Crimson’s title dream was deferred for at least one more year.

“This weekend was obviously a huge disappointment to us,” junior middle hitter Mariah Pospisil said at the time.

After splitting a meaningless final weekend, Harvard finished at 10-4, tied with the Tigers for second place behind the Quakers.

But a bad weekend hardly made for a bad season.

Led by captain and setter Mindy Jellin—a second-team All-Ivy selection—Harvard rebounded from a 4-7 non-league record against tough competition to sweep through the early part of its Ivy schedule.

“[Jellin] understands the mission of this team,” Harvard coach Jennifer Weiss said. “She is a great leader.”

The Crimson remained alone in first place for most of the season, and—though the turnaround was decisive—according to some it was hardly surprising.

“I’m not surprised at all [at Harvard’s success],” Penn coach Kerry Carr said before her team’s second meeting with the Crimson. “Harvard was this good last year. They just had a few momentum busters.”

The talent was definitely there. The Crimson played virtually the same lineup as in 2001 (with the exception of Erin Denniston ’01, who was lost to graduation), but with much more success.

The transformation was attributed—at least partly—to an improvement in the team’s dynamic.

“The technical and athletic ability was definitely there [in 2001],” Weiss said. “There were definitely [technical] things we worked on and improved, but team chemistry was our focus.”

Then, of course, there was sophomore Kaego Ogbechie.

The 6’0 middle hitter from Diamond Bar, Calif., improved on her Ivy Rookie of the Year campaign in captivating fashion.

The phenom led the league in kills (440) and blocks (36 solo, 80 assisted) on her way to being named Ivy Player of the Year. She was also named an American Volleyball Coaches Association Northeast Region All-American and was the only unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection.

“Kaego is a phenomenal athlete,” Weiss said. “Her overall game has improved, and she focuses on the team and making her teammates better.”

Ogbechie, along with virtually every other offensive weapon, returns for the Crimson next season. Only Jellin—admittedly a critical cog in the team’s well-oiled offense—graduates this week, leaving junior-to-be Kim Gould to assume the setting duties.

If all goes well, however, Harvard should be in prime position to finally capture that first Ivy title—and a little satisfaction.

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spottsw@fas.harvard.edu.

W. Volleyball

RECORD 14-11 (10-4 Ivy, T-2nd)

COACH Jennifer Weiss

CAPTAIN Mindy Jellin

HIGHLIGHTS Team raises its Ivy win total from three in 2001 to 10 in 2002. Sophmore Kaego Ogbechie named Ivy Player of the Year and American Volleyball Coaches Association Northeast Region All-American after leading the league in kills and blocks. Jellin finishes her career with 4,285 assists, 35 off the school record.