The visiting Lions looked physically and emotionally unprepared for what the Firedogs had in store for them. Middle blocker co-captain Kristin Quinn '07 led the way for the Firedogs, punishing the Lions for 11 kills and four blocks while sophomore setter Sara Heller got into a rhythm quickly, tallying 34 assists on the night. The Firedogs pulled away as they soundly defeated Emerson in three games.
Next up for Amherst was the two-day long Amherst Classic, where the 'Dogs faced four different teams. Westfield State College was the first matchup on Friday afternoon, and Amherst had no problem dishing out a three-game wipeout of the opposition. Quinn showed no signs of letting up after her impressive outing versus Emerson, and tacked on 16 kills in this contest. Adding to the Amherst effort was junior outside hitter Jaclyn DeMais who tallied 11 digs and four blocks.
Even though the team ended its first game within an hour of the start of its next matchup against Brandeis University, the 'Dogs did their best to maintain their concentration. However, they dropped the first game 32-30, which sent them back on their heels to start the match. But the Firedogs quickly turned the tables and began chipping away at their game one loss, with DeMais tallying 13 kills and 19 digs and Heller assisting on 35 points. The back row came through big at game's end and helped seal the win, totaling 50 digs as a team.
After a 2-0 start to the tournament and a night of rest, the Firedogs were set to begin their final day of the Classic. First up for Amherst was the Johnson and Wales University Wildcats, travelling from Rhode Island to face a tough Firedog team. Back row players Julie Berkley '08 and senior co-captain Laura Golden tallied 15 and 12 digs, respectively, in a game that was controlled by the Firedogs. Heller again had her say, serving up 33 assists and tacking on six kills of her own. DeMais added 15 kills, 15 digs and two blocks en route to a 3-0 win in dominating fashion.
But during the Firedogs win streak, they had not faced a NESCAC opponent. Their final match of the tournament pitted them against Middlebury College, who had shown promise by defeating Brandeis in dominating fashion earlier in the Classic. However, the Firedogs came rushing out of the gate, setting the tone early in a contest that was thoroughly controlled by the host team. Quinn led the way for the Amherst attack, tallying 18 kills while the defense was led by Berkley who collected 21 defensive digs. The final score of the contest was 3-0, making the Firedogs 15-1 on the weekend, including five straight wins.
The Firedogs look confident as they head into the meat of their schedule. But they have yet to face NESCAC powerhouse Colby College, the defending league champion, and will need to be playing in top form when the two squads face off.