After a season of improvement for the women's volleyball team last year, which saw its victory total jump from 13 in 1999 to 18 in the year 2000, the women hope to build off that momentum during the upcoming campaign. The Jumbos' goal is to win 20 games - a lofty but achievable goal - for a team which has done it under coach Kris Talon's leadership three times before.
"We haven't won 20 games in two years," Talon said. "So first thing this season we would like to improve is our showing of the last two years. Last year, we finished sixth in NESCAC. This year, we want to finish in the top three."
The team returns this year without tri-captains Karen "Bear" Sillers, who placed second on the team with 3.117 kills per game last year, Kyre Austin, the team's starting setter, and Nancy Phear, who played a key role in the squad's defense. The team does not want to dwell on the loss of its seniors - rather it looks to the returning players, transfers, as well as, the freshmen to help replace the graduating leaders.
"We are a different team this year," coach Talon said. "We lost three important players, but we are a completely different team. We will miss them, but we can replace them. We have a strong freshman class."
Emily Macy leads the incoming freshmen class and will be a regular starter, replacing Sillers in the lineup. However, the heart of the Jumbos will once again lie in their senior class. Senior tri-captains Sarah Leistikow, Megan Pitcavage, and Jessica Stewart will be the leaders of the squad. Unfortunately, Leistikow will have to provide leadership from the sidelines as she has been unable to completely recover from last spring's ACL injury. Leistikow underwent total reconstruction on her knee and despite rehabilitation attempts over the summer, the senior has been unsuccessful in her effort to return to her full form. Leistikow actually practiced with the team for a week this season, but realized she could not continue, instead she has decided to remain on the team, where she hopes to provide leadership and inspiration from the bench.
"The seniors will be getting a lot of playing time," Talon said. "I am excited for them because this will probably be the best season over their last three. The [seniors] will lead by example, rather than by words. We are not in a pyramid of leadership. We are all on the same page."
Another senior looking to make an impact on the team is Stewart, who was a First Team All-NESCAC team member last year. Stewart also ranked sixth in the conference in 2000 with 3.53 kills per game.
Despite reaching the postseason last Fall, the Jumbos must now make adjustments in their scoring game due to NCAA rule changes. Instead of the normal scoring system, where the first team to 15 wins the game, the league has now declared that "rally score" must be enforced. This means that teams will play until 30 and whenever a squad makes an error and the ball hits the ground, the opposition receives the point. In other words, a team can score points even when they are not serving. If there is a need for a fifth game, the winner of that contest will be first to 15 points.
Tufts began their season by competing in the Coast Guard Invitational where the squad came away undefeated - winning the invitational. Stewart and Cronin were named to the All-Tournament team for their performances in the invitational.
The first victim of the team's 2001 season was Westfield State, which went down hard losing in three straight games to the Jumbos (30-9, 30-22, 30-11). Stewart led the offense with 15 kills, while both Macy and fellow freshman Alison Sauer covered the defense, racking up 12 digs apiece.
"Westfield State was not a very strong team," sophomore setter Lindsey Moses said. "We didn't play down to their level and we kept our intensity up, which allowed us to cream them."
The Coast Guard, Tufts' second opponent, gave the squad a run for their money, but the Jumbos prevailed by a 3-2 margin (27-30, 30-25, 21-30, 30-28, 19-17).
"Coast Guard was a good game to show how the team can come together and fight," Pitcavage said. "The freshmen fit in well and we saw that they could contribute."
The troop rounded out the day by defeating Rhode Island College 3-1. After a shaky start against Rhode Island, in which the Jumbos lost the first game of the match 23-30, the team regained its composure finishing strong by sweeping the last three games 30-19, 30-15, and 30-13. The leader on the court for Tufts' was Stewart as she dominated the front row with 15 kills, behind the line with four service aces, and in back row defense with 19 digs.
The team's first home match which was scheduled for last Tuesday was postponed until September 25th in wake of the attack on America. The Jumbos next match will be held tonight as part of the NESCAC Weekend in Amherst.
