Two points in an entire volleyball season is generally only a speck on the map for a team. But when those two points make the difference between making the playoffs and ending the season, they take on a whole new meaning.
The Massachusetts volleyball team, who missed making the Atlantic 10 tournament last season by a mere two points, open up its all-important conference schedule as it heads to the streets of Philadelphia this weekend with key matches against LaSalle and Temple.
“The people we have [on our team] played a lot last year, so they understand that in the A-10 there aren’t any really easy matches,” head coach Bonnie Kenny said.
UMass (5-2) enters the weekend still on a high from its 3-0 performance in the UMass Invitational held Sept. 7-8 in Amherst. This past weekend’s trip to Florida was cancelled due to the tragic events of last week.
“We’re in the same boat as everybody else in the country because nobody played last weekend, so we’re on level playing ground,” Kenny said.
The last time the Minutewomen traveled to Philly, they finished off their regular season with consecutive wins over the Explorers and Owls, the match against the latter being a five-game triumph over the perennial powerhouse.
“Last year, we upset Temple to end the season, and I think they remember that so that should give them a boost of confidence,” Kenny said.
The first match of this weekend will be a Friday night contest against the Explorers (3-6, 0-1 Atlantic 10). The Maroon and White swept LaSalle in both contests last year. Senior co-captain Lymarie Llovet posted 23 kills in the two matches to lead the Minutewomen to crucial A-10 victories.
“Every year, LaSalle gets a little better,” Kenny said. “On paper, this is the best team they’ve had there. There are a couple of returning players that will help them.”
LaSalle opened the conference portion of its schedule Tuesday night, when it fell to A-10 conference champion George Washington.
The Explorers are led on offense by senior outside hitter Kristen Russo, who leads the team with 2.60 kills per game. Russo led the team in kills in each of the two matches against the Minutewomen. She is one of five LaSalle players averaging more than two kills per game this season. Russo also sets the pace on the defensive side of the ball, as her 3.73 digs per game are tops on the team.
The second match of the weekend will pit the Maroon and White against its conference rival, Temple. That contest will be held at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon.
“Temple will be a different team than last year, but again it’s a really good skill team,” Kenny said. “They’re not playing a lot of people, but those that are playing are contributing in a good way.”
Temple (6-2) is led on offense by a pair of outside hitters. Junior Sara Stone has proven strong throughout this year, averaging nearly ten kills per match for the season. Sophomore Yamit Haba, the 2000 A-10 Rookie of the Year, is adding support, as she too is averaging nearly ten kills in her matches this season.
As for the Minutewomen, their offense has been led by a quartet of fierce hitters up front. Co-captains Llovet and Janeen DeMarte have provided strong play on both sides of the ball from the outside, while senior Lauren Vander Veen and sophomore Nitia Small have been consistently throwing down kills all year.
“I think that we go as our offense goes,” said Kenny, who led the Maroon and White into a tie for fourth place in the conference last year. “If we keep improving offensively, I think we could have a very successful run at the A-10 championship.”
And it all starts this weekend.
