A stampede is about to hit the UMass campus this weekend. A stampede of Bulls, Wildcats, and a third yet to be determined group of Big Green objects. However, the Massachusetts women’s volleyball team will be ready to tame the incoming intruders and look to pick up three wins on its own floor.

Buffalo, New Hampshire, and Dartmouth, will all be traveling to Amherst this weekend as they and the Minutewomen (2-2) take part in the UMass Invitational at Curry Hicks Cage. The Big Green and Bulls will be somewhat of a mystery to the Maroon and White, but the team should have the Wildcats well-scouted. UNH and UMass both participated in the Husky Classic last weekend at UConn, and both squads faced off against the same three teams. All three visiting clubs, however, should provide tough obstacles between the Minutewomen and the three W’s.

“This will be Dartmouth’s first match, so we don’t know a lot about them,” head coach Bonnie Kenny said. “But we’ve always played them each spring, and they’ve been competitive.”

Kenny mentioned the Big Green’s Ashley Dean “will probably give [them] fits.” Dean, a senior All-Ivy League selection last year, will be a threat on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, as she has racked up 364 kills and 405 digs so far in her career.

Buffalo enters this weekend’s tournament with a 2-1 record, but so far Kenny has only seen the Bulls’ stats on the season. But after seeing UNH play three times last weekend, and even having the same three outcomes as UMass did in ending the tourney with a 1-2 record, Kenny knows of what to expect.

“UNH is going to be a very good team,” Kenny said. “We might be a little older, but they’re bigger. We’ll need to serve the ball tough and take them out of their offense.”

The Minutewomen have received their firepower from senior Lauren Vander Veen and sophomore Nitia Small on the offensive end, as both players have racked up many kills per match over the first four outings. Senior Lymarie Llovet has also given the Maroon and White some added punch to the team’s attack. On the defensive side of the ball, Llovet has also performed extremely well, averaging 11 digs per match.

The team has also received solid contributions from two newcomers on defense, junior transfer Jitka Stehnova and freshman Michelle Spaleta. Both players have given the Minutewomen added protection on the defensive side, and Stehnova has so far adapted to her role as the team’s setter quite adequately, totaling 53 assists in its two wins against Northeastern and Texas Christian.

Kenny hopes that her squad can muster a bit more firepower for the weekend to complement the strong defensive performances the team has shown and is capable of.

“I think we have to have more offensive production,” Kenny said. “We can’t get stuck in rotations and allow teams to rally off five, six points in a row on their serve.”

Furthermore, the Minutewomen should enjoy the home-court advantage for as long as possible during the weekend. After the UMass Invitational, the squad will have its next seven matches on the road, with four at Florida State and then three away matches to open up the Atlantic 10 season.

Kenny hopes this weekend is successful, saying “who wouldn’t want to pick up three wins on their home floor?” But she knows for that to become a reality, her team has to perform up to its potential.

“I think we’re going to have to play well in all three games, because we’re not a dominant enough offensive team to bank on anything.”