And, staying true to the form of the beginning of their season, the Firedogs stepped up to the challenges brought on by the two-week flurry of activity. Winning six out of their seven NESCAC matches, the Amherst women moved to second place in the already-tight NESCAC, with the only blight on the two-week slate being a loss to league-leading Wesleyan University.
The Firedogs kicked off their mid-season sprint through the NESCAC with a non-league win at Trinity College on Wednesday, Oct. 3. The Firedogs made short work of the Bantams in a three-game match, 30-18, 30-28, 30-21. Because only matches played during one of the pivotal NESCAC Quads count in the NESCAC record, the pressure was off of Amherst's shoulders. With the win, the Firedogs picked up their first victory against Trinity since former Amherst volleyball player and Hitchcock Fellow Angela Mills '95 assumed the head coaching position at Trinity. In addition, the victory foreshadowed another landmark, as Amherst Head Coach Sue Everden picked up her 350th career win in a rematch against Trinity later in the stint.
"Three hundred fifty wins is a tribute to the exceptional young women that have played with immense pride for Amherst College," said Everden. Against the Bantams, senior Co-captains Meredith DeMeules and Erica Hewes led the way, posting 20 assists and 18 kills, respectively. Annie Hoeksma '05 supplemented the offensive effort with 12 assists and six kills, while sophomores Natalie Brooks and Lauren Wong combined for a wall of 10 blocks on the night.
After taking Thursday off, the Firedogs packed their bags on Friday for Bowdoin College, the host of the first of two NESCAC Quads on the two-week run. At Bowdoin, the Amherst squad maintained its strength in the NESCAC, taking down the entire Bowdoin-Bates-Colby sub-conference in the process. After demolishing Colby College in a four-game match, the Firedogs tore through Bates College and finished the weekend with a short-work win over the host Polar Bears, with both matches lasting only three games.
On the weekend, Hewes slammed down 49 kills, while DeMeules led the squad in assists, with 61 ups on the two-day meeting. Other contributors to the Amherst offensive effort were Hoeksma and Dittus, who gave a combined 43 kills to complement Hoeksma's 46 assists on the weekend. Back row leader Irene Lee '03 hit the deck for a combined 22 digs to supplement DeMeules' 40, and Wong and Brooks tipped a total of 19.5 blocks back over the net for Amherst points.
"I think that our level of play has gotten better in the past weeks because we have been able to adjust to having two setters on the court at once and also just the experience of playing together as a team," said Hewes.
Holding down an 11-game win streak, the Firedogs left the confines of LeFrak Gymnasium again on Friday and traveled east to Medford for the Tufts University portion of the NESCAC Quad. At Tufts, the Amherst said beat Trinity for the second time in two weeks, bringing the Amherst record to 17-2 and Everden's career record to 350-153. The Jeffs won the match in four games, 30-20, 30-24, 27-30, 32-30. Following the Bantam match, the Firedogs went on to face Connecticut College. The Camels proved to be of little strength against the tearing Firedogs, and Amherst took the win in three games, 30-11, 30-7, 30-8. Meanwhile, a Wesleyan win over Trinity in other action set up an Amherst-Wesleyan match, the winner of which would be guaranteed the top slot in the always-looming NESCAC tournament.
The Wesleyan match proved to be a gritty five-game struggle. The Firedogs and the Cardinals traded games, with the Cardinals taking the first and third, and the Firedogs posting wins in the second and fourth frames. The fifth and deciding game was close, but Wesleyan eventually pulled through to beat Amherst, 15-13. On the weekend, Hewes paced the Firedogs with an amazing 53 kills, while DeMeules and Hoeksma combined for 121 assists. Also, DeMeules and Hoeksma combined with Missy Mordy '03 to pop up over 100 digs on the weekend. Brooks and Wong had 17.5 blocks.
Last night, the Firedogs took the court again to beat visiting Westfield State College in a decisive three-game set, 30-7, 30-15, 30-16. Next, the Firedogs will co-host the annual Hall of Fame Tournament with Smith College this weekend. Action is scheduled to tip off in LeFrak at 6:00 on Friday night and continue in Northampton on Saturday. "I really think that we are still improving and should be ready to peak at NESCACs in a few weeks," said Hewes.