The volleyball team now stands at 6-1 in the NESCAC, after an exciting win over Williams College.
The Firedogs defeated Williams last night in a thrilling match which blemished the Ephs' previously perfect conference record. The Firedogs got off to a slow start, but managed a superb comeback to claim the win. Amherst has now moved into the top spot in the conference, matching Williams' record and boasting a direct win over the Ephs.
The Firedogs have come far since the beginning of the season. After their first loss of the season to Wesleyan University on Sept. 28, the 'Dogs have gone on a six-game winning streak and seemed invincible. On Friday, their mental and physical toughness was put to the test as they faced Wesleyan once again. This time, it was a conference match, it was at home, and it was Amherst's match from the very first serve. The Firedogs leapt on their opponents, defeating the Cardinals in three games.
"Revenge was key for us," said tri-captain outside hitter Jaclyn DeMais '08. "We knew we were the better team and all we had to do was play our game and let Wesleyan make the mistakes. We were tentative the first time we played Wesleyan, but this time around we came out aggressive and never let up."
The crowd at LeFrak gymnasium that night was full of loud Amherst supporters, spurring the Firedogs on in the first game of the match, which they won 30-24. Despite a series of stoppages in play due to referee confusion, the 'Dogs were able to maintain their momentum in the second game, winning yet again by a score of 30-24. Wesleyan came out strong in the third game, winning the first six points of the game. Though Amherst trailed for the entire first half of the game, they slowly crept back and finally took the lead with a kill from Claire Holton-Basaldua '09. The game ended with an Amherst advantage of 30-26, giving the Firedogs their long-awaited revenge.
DeMais racked up 45 kills on the night while Holton-Basaldua and senior tri-captain and outside hitter Whitney Kouvaris had 23 and 28, respectively. Rookie defensive specialist Rachel Yorke '11 continued to lead the defense with 20 digs and setter Sara Heller '09 tallied 39 assists.
The 'Dogs were psyched about the win, but also knew they were to face a tough opponent in Connecticut College the next morning. The Camels proved too strong for Amherst, and the 'Dogs surrendered their first NESCAC match of the season in five games
"It's really difficult to play a tough match on Friday night and then come out just as strong on Saturday morning," said DeMais. "It's something we're going to work on as a team, because we know we have to bounce back from this loss and play our best in every upcoming NESCAC match."
The 'Dogs led early in the first game and came away with a 30-24 win. The two teams appeared to be evenly matched in the second game as they traded points for nearly the entire game. Unfortunately, Amherst couldn't restrain the determined Camels, who overcame Amherst 30-28. The 'Dogs looked unnerved in the third game, losing 30-24. Knowing that they had to win game four, Amherst found its rhythm and smashed the Camels' defense, winning 30-18. However, the Firedogs couldn't hold on in game five, losing narrowly 15-13.
DeMais said of the loss, "Our serve receive was not as strong as it needed to be in this match, but [Head] Coach [Sue] Everden will definitely have us work on it in practice and we'll be ready to go for the rest of the season."
DeMais dominated both offensively and defensively for Amherst, totaling 30 digs and a season-high 63 kills. Yorke added 23 digs of her own while Heller and tri-captain Julie Berkley '08 each had 15. Once again, Kouvaris and Basaldua supported DeMais on offense, combining for 53 kills.
The Firedogs proved their determination, bouncing back from their loss to the Camels with a much desired defeat of the Ephs. With three conference games remaining, Amherst will have to fight to maintain its first-place standing over Willams.