By By Olson Barthelemy
GMU ROAD WOESIn its first showdown against George Mason University (GMU) this year, the Pride pulled out a three-game sweep over the Patriots. However, it had not won on the road against GMU since 2002 and was also 1-3 in Fairfax since joining the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Despite these unfavorable numbers against GMU, the Pride managed a four-game win against the Patriots last weekend.
TWO OF A KINDSimilar to its match against James Madison last weekend, the Pride had less kills than its opponent and won regardless. Also similar to its match against the Dukes, the Patriots hurt their own cause with errors to the tune of 19 service errors to only seven of the Pride. In yet another similarity to their previous match, the Pride had a lower hitting percentage than its opponent. However, it only cost the Pride one game-the third against GMU.
MUDDLING MISCUES”Everything starts with a pass in volleyball, so when you can’t get the ball to the setter you can’t run an effective offense. In the games we lost, we had hitting percentages of only .054 and .176,” Pride junior middle blocker Elizabeth Curley said.
Despite these miscues, after dropping the third game, the Pride came back and rolled to a 30-14 win in the fourth and deciding game. Aiding the Pride was Tessa Sphar, who recorded a team-high 15 kills, prompting head coach Fran Kalafer to say of her, “Tessa has been a driving force for us on the court. Her leadership and poise are inspiring.”
Talita Silva also chipped in with 11 kills and Shellane Ogoshi’s 39 assists and 12 digs were big contributions to the teams wins. Meanwhile, Curley had a .500 hitting percentage for the match, and Lauren Engle recorded a percentage of .750 in limited action.
KEYS TO SUCCESSOne of the keys to the Pride’s success has been its fighting spirit. Asked to attribute something to its current six-game winning streak, Kalafer cited, “Our own teams’ great fighting spirit. Whatever environment we are in, we seem to enjoy ourselves on the court. We work hard to play together.”