Slow Start, but Win Streak Bolstered at Hom

We had a very tough schedule this year, as usual.  We opened our season at Ithaca, which has been a perennial NCAA team and was pre-season ranked in the top #25.  Starting out with them was a great way to test our metal, and although we came up short, I think we came away feeling like we had a lot of potential in our somewhat young team.  With 6 players in the junior and senior classes and 10 first years and sophomores, we are definitely a bit on the young side.  On day 2 that first weekend, we dropped a close 5 setter with St. John Fisher that we felt like maybe we let slip away, although I was confident that they'd end up being a very good team (ended up Regionally Ranked). We capped off that first weekend with a sweep of Rochester, whom we'd lost to the year before in 5 sets, so that felt good.  All in all, our take-away from our first weekend as OPTIMISM if not total performance.

After losing for the first time in almost 20 years to St. Mikes, we went down to Smith for a tournament where we went 2-1, only losing to Smith in a 5 set thriller 13-15 in the 5th.  I won't talk about the lead we had in the 5th, but they put together a string of points when they needed it the most to win, so hats off to them (and Caitlin's twin, who plays for Smith).  Smith went on to have a record-setting year for the Program and won the NEWMAC over top seeded and Nationally ranked MIT.

After that weekend, getting two wins in a row, one against Wesleyan (NICE), and one against another NCAA team in Gallaudet, we started what would become an 11 game win streak, only capped by a loss to Colby who had risen to a National rank of #7!  That stretch included sweeps over Conn and Trinity as well as wins over Williams (26-24, 20-25, 26-24, 26-24) and both Bates and Tufts.  It also included the future NCAA team of UMass Dartmouth and a Regionally ranked Union team.  Gabbie O'Toole ended up eclipsing the 3000 Assist mark during our Tufts match, in front of her parents and all of our alums back for Alumni Weekend!!

It was so amazing to have all these alums back in the house!  AND, for two big Conference WINS to remain undefeated in NESCAC!  Jordan and Tanner logged in as the oldest alums back, which was exciting for me.  They were both part of our very FIRST NESCAC Championship back in 1997!  They had their son with them who was looking at Middlebury.