As Coach Everden puts it, "[The Firedogs] are a real team in every sense of the word and I am very proud and honored to have the privilege of being their coach and sharing in [their] hard work and laughter."
The key word for the Firedogs that separates them from other teams is "laughter." Their joy on the court is evident every time they come out to play. Of course, it seems natural to be happy when you are 19-2 but Amherst ran into a wall midway through the season when they dropped a contest to visiting Wesleyan University. This loss was the quintessential make- or-break point for the team as they were presented two choices after losing: Harp on the missed opportunity or forget about the loss and look toward future contests.
Nine games after the Firedogs loss to the Cardinals, they played host to the Tufts University Jumbos in a must-win game for both teams. Amherst came away with two easy wins in the first two games but surrendered the next two, forcing the match to a fifth game tiebreaker. Luckily for Amherst, adrenaline kicked in and it seemed clear from the very first point that the Firedogs were going to win-both to the 'Dogs and the Jumbos. "[We] came out strong and broke [Tufts'] momentum, getting us pumped up to play the rest of the tiebreaker," explained sophomore setter Sarah Heller.
Heller, along with outside hitter Jaclyn DeMais '08, co-captain Kristin Quinn '07, and libero Julie Berkeley '08 all played exceptionally well under the pressure-filled situation. Offensively, the Firedogs spread out their attack as DeMais posted 17 kills, 30 digs and three blocks while Quinn tallied 16 kills of her own.
After their win against the visiting Jumbos, the Firedogs made quick work of visiting Bates College in three games, allowing a total of only 61 points in the entire match. Quinn was the dominant force for the 'Dogs as she posted a 13 kill and nine block performance. Sophomore Alison Munzer was also given the opportunity to contribute, tallying five kills, two solo blocks and a hitting percentage of 0.571.
Amherst then traveled to Westfield State for their second contest of the season. The Firedogs handled them in three games when they first met and had no problem repeating their destruction of Westfield in identical fashion, 3-0. But next up was Colby College, who was last year's NES-
CAC Champion, and the possibility of losing loomed in the minds of the team.
Amherst started the match with a game one loss but quickly managed to come back with a win in the second game. From there, the Firedogs crushed Colby with Florida-native Whitney Kouvaris '08 hammering home 13 kills and Heller tallying an astounding 42 kills.
If it seemed like the Firedogs were going to have a letdown, playing Bowdoin next would be the time to let an easy one slip by them. But Amherst maintained their focus and soundly beat the Polar Bears in three games. The Firedog regulars-Quinn and DeMais-led the way yet again for the squad.
Although the team managed to sweep games during these past two weeks, they remain in second place in the NESCAC, sitting behind Williams College. The Ephs are undefeated in NESCAC play after barely eeking out a victory against the Firedogs, winning 3-2. The game literally came down to the wire, with the Firedogs' losing 15-13 in the final game tiebreaker. But for a team that has experienced hardship and rebounded with fierce determination, the team should have no challenge regaining their momentum as they head into the latter stages of the season.
"As long as we keep our 'one game at a time' mentality and don't look too far ahead, I truly feel that this team has the potential to do something special," commented assistant coach Dan O'Shea. If history is any indication, the Firedogs will enter the final weeks of the season poised and determined to avenge their losses and prove their NESCAC dominance.
NESCAC Notes
Williams remains in first in the NESCAC while Amherst and Tufts are tied for second. Bowdoin, Conn. and Wesleyan are still in the running for second place, but will need several losses from Tufts and Amherst to have a shot at advancing up the leaderboard.