The men's club volleyball team played in its first divisional tournament last weekend at Northeastern and split games 2-2. The squad played well in its two victories but appeared to be holding back its their two loses.
The wins came against Eastern Nazarine College and Stonehill College, but the team lost to host Northeastern and UMASS Amherst.
"We should have won at least three of the four," freshman starter Kellan Gregory said. "It is always a little discouraging when you lose a game that you know you could have won."
After a successful preseason, the Jumbos hoped to perform a little better in this tournament. Though this year is seen as a rebuilding period, the team has high expectations.
The preseason began last semester, and the squad jumped to a good start. It made the preseason playoffs, which was a positive harbinger for the season to come, especially with a young squad that starts three freshman.
During the offseason, the team has lost some key players, either to graduation or conflicting commitments. But junior co-captains Jeff Van der Veer and John McAllister are looking to develop the young team into a post season contender.
Without a coach, it is up to the two team leaders to rally their peers for practices and tournaments. Thus far, they have done well in introducing their three starting freshman, Michael Toomey, Hadie El Haneidi, and Gregory, to the mix.
"Jeff and John have done a great job with practices," Gregory said of his two captains. "They make them fun while still keeping things in perspective. It makes for a better playing environment."
The team's greatest weakness is its lack of height. Because of this, it relies on the defense to carry it.
"They play hard, and more importantly, play good defense," McAllister said. "Mike and Kellan are good at filling in where we need them and Hadie has established himself in the middle."
As the young talent develops, the team hopes to go further than anticipated. Making the post season and getting the young players experience will be instrumental to next year's play. The team will not lose any players to graduation at the end of this year, and some players who could not play this year are anticipated to return next year.
Though the team did not fare as well as it would have liked last weekend, the season started off on the right foot. In late January at the Marty Open, the season's inaugural tournament, the Jumbos finished fifth of 30 teams. They defeated several strong teams, most notably a solid Wesleyan squad.
The volleyball club competes in its next divisional tournament in a couple of weeks, to be hosted by MIT. The team has usually finished strong in its division, the East of the NESBO, which is considered by many to be the toughest division in the conference.
"We hope to finish at least fourth in the district and make the 16-team cutoff for the playoffs," McAllister said. "We made it my first two years here, and I think we can do it again this year - even if it is as a lower seed."
