The Firedogs played some of their best volleyball of the season this past weekend, as they went 3-0 at the Amherst Volleyball Classic. With the sweep, Amherst extended its winning streak to six and improved its overall record to 12-1.
Amherst started off the Classic against the toughest opponent it would face all weekend—Brandeis University, one of only five teams who handed Amherst a loss last year. Brandeis looked to be just as formidable this time around, coming into the game with a 5-2 record. “Brandies is traditionally a very good team,” said sophomore Laura Hyman, “It’s a really good game every year.” This year was no different—the Friday night match-up proved to be one of the most exciting of the young season.
When the Firedogs jumped out to a big lead in the first set, it looked like they were going to avenge last years’ loss. The Judges, however, made it clear that they were not going to go down easily, battling back to take a one-point lead. Amherst responded to the challenge just as it had all season, staying calm under pressure and swinging the scoring margin back in its favor just in time to squeak out a 25-23 win. The winning point came on a well-placed kill from freshman Katherine Kanoff, showing the sort of skills that earned her NESCAC Player of the Week honors earlier in the season.
The second set against Brandeis was just as competitive as the first, and the teams remained deadlocked for much of the game. This time around though, it was the Judges who grabbed momentum and the lead on their way to a 25-19 victory, tying the two squads at one set apiece. Amherst needed to get its act together to have any shot at starting off its weekend on a winning note. With their newfound determination, the Firedogs came out into the third set with a vengeance, defeating the Judges by eight for an emphatic 25-17 victory.
Amherst wasn’t the only team on the court with resolve, though, as the Judges refused to keel over. Brandeis banded together, played well and fought to a 19-19 tie in the fourth set. When the Judges scored the next point to take the lead, it appeared that the match was headed for a decisive fifth set—something that Amherst certainly didn’t want to have to deal with against an opponent as dangerous as Brandeis. But just when the fans started to shift in their seats and Head Coach Sue Everden began to pace the sidelines, Amherst surged, leaping ahead to take the set and the game, 25-23.
The Firedogs had a major scare in the Brandeis game, when setter and senior captain Sara Heller went down with an ankle injury in the first set. While fans at LeFrak Gymnasium may have been worried when Heller went down, the ladies on the court knew they were in good hands with sophomore Kate Jordan filling the hole.
“Nobody was worried about Kate,” said sophomore Jackie Berkley, “She plays great every day in practice.” Jordan proved to be more than adequate, setting a career-high 44 balls in the victory. Despite her injury, however, Heller refused to be silenced; she showed exactly what it means to be a captain, cheering and leading her team on one foot from the sidelines, even hopping over to the occasional huddle to deliver advice to her teammates. “Heller still wanted to help us win,” recalled Berkley, “She’s a very big part of the team.”
In other action on the weekend, Amherst beat Middlebury for the second time this season 3-1, and defeated Westfield State in straight sets. The winning streak comes at a very opportune moment for the Firedogs; Amherst faces Wesleyan Saturday, one of the other teams who dealt the ‘Dogs a loss last year.