Women's Volleyball Looks To Upset Yale For Second Straight Year

The last time that the Harvard women’s volleyball team (7-3, 0-1 Ivy) played Yale (5-5, 1-0), the match ended with tears of joy.

When fans rushed the court at Malkin Athletic Center last year in celebration of the Crimson’s first win over the Bulldogs since 2004, Harvard players and coaches struggled to compose themselves. Even coach Jennifer Weiss was spotted with tears in her eyes.

“Last season’s win against Yale was definitely a highlight of the season,” co-captain Caroline Walters said. “The on-court chemistry…made the match pretty unforgettable.”

The Crimson wouldn’t mind bringing tears of joy to Weiss’ eyes one more time this Friday night when the two teams meet in Cambridge for the first time since the upset.

“We were their only league loss last year, and I’m sure that bothers them,” co-captain Kristen Casey said.

But even with the recent success of the squad against its rivals from New Haven, the volleyball team is making a point of focusing on the past only as much as it affects the present.

“We have that strong rivalry with them,” Walters said. “And I think that the stakes will be even higher this year because we were the only [Ivy League] team to beat them last year.”

The home game against Yale will be Harvard’s second against an Ancient Eight opponent this season. After a hot start that included a five-game winning streak, the Crimson dropped its Ivy League opener to Dartmouth (10-2, 1-0) last weekend in Hanover, N.H.

“We learned some valuable lessons about mindset and preparation that I think were useful for us,” Casey said. “We can’t forget how long the season is.”

The Bulldogs also began Ivy League play last week, making a statement with a clean sweep of Brown (4-8, 0-1). Yale was able to maintain a .340 hitting percentage, well above its season average of .222.

This season, the Bulldogs are seeking their fifth consecutive Ivy League title. Harvard, which finished second in 2013, is aiming for its first championship since 2004 and second overall.

“We have been prepping in practice all week because they are very much a different team than we played last year,” Casey said.

Much of this difference is due to the graduation of Kendall Polan. A three-time Ivy League Player of the Year, Polan directed the Yale attack as a setter last year. Although freshman Kelsey Crawford has performed well in Polan’s absence, the departure of such a key member of the team has undoubtedly altered its identity.

Yale has been headlined so far this season by the duo of outside hitter Mollie Rogers, who leads the team with 116 kills, and setter Kelly Johnson, who is second with 94.

The Bulldogs are already a battle-tested bunch, having endured a rigorous nonconference schedule. Yale has played three teams ranked in the NCAA Top 25, including third-ranked Penn State. Meanwhile, Harvard has yet to play a ranked squad.

“Playing Yale is unlike any other game in the season,” Casey said. “They have been so dominant as long as I have been around, and the energy is just indescribable.”

In contrast to the two-pronged attack of the Bulldogs, the Crimson has relied on a team approach. Sophomore Corinne Bain, sophomore Grace Weghorst, junior Caroline Holte, and Walters have all racked up more than 80 kills.

Yale has dominated Ivy League play in recent years. Before last season’s loss to Harvard, the Bulldogs had compiled 25 consecutive wins against Ancient Eight opponents. Yale never dropped more than one set in a match during this period. In three consecutive contests before last year’s win, the Crimson lost in straight sets.

Even so, Harvard players remain optimistic about the team’s chances.

“We have a lot of confidence in our team and all the work we have done,” Casey said. “Winning the Ivy League championship is still very much the goal.”