Volleyball shuts out Lord Jeffs 3-0 in grudge match

Women’s volleyball had an impressive week, losing only one set over the course of three games, breaking a long-standing school record, and bringing home a second Player of the Week distinction.  After defeating Norwich on the road 3-0 Wednesday night, the team returned to Middlebury for their first home game in Pepin Gymnasium on Friday night. Dominating their first conference match, the Panthers trounced Amherst 3-0 and went on to beat St. Michael’s Saturday afternoon 3-1 to bring their season record to 6-1. For the second straight week, co-captain Jane Handel ‘12 was named the NESCAC Player of the Week for her dominant role in leading the team to its perfect 3-0 record.

The contest against in-state rival Norwich provided a fantastic opportunity for Middlebury to explore its players’ depth and new talent. Fourteen different players on the fifteen-woman roster were able to exhibit their skills for the Panthers, and Sarah Studwell ’13 led the offense with 11 kills.

After suffering a dispiriting defeat in the NESCAC quarterfinals at Amherst’s hands last fall, Middlebury came out ready to compete in their home and conference opener on Friday night. Supported by a swarm of enthusiastic fans, the team wasted little time in making quick work of the Lord Jeffs. The Panthers fed off the excitement of the crowd, which only grew as the night progressed. Several huge kills by Handel brought the raccous crowd to its feet, and the Panther’s awe-inspiring tenacity on defense made sure the outcome was never in doubt. Despite several surges by Amherst, Middlebury managed to hold on to their competitive edge to claim a huge victory in their home and conference opener. Caroline Cordle ’12 described the Panthers as “completely focused” during the match.

“Everybody was working toward a common goal and we knew what to do to make it happen,” explained Cordle.  “We worked as a solid team all weekend, despite some tougher competition. It’s been years since Middlebury has beat Amherst in conference play so beating them 3-0 was an awesome feeling.”

In a less well-attended (but equally hard-fought) contest Saturday afternoon, Middlebury took the first, third and fourth sets in a 3-1 victory over local rival St. Michael’s. In the second set, the Panthers’ suffered their only loss of a challenging week, and the nail-biter was lost by only a slim two-point margin. In a history-making footnote to this match, Caitlin Barrett ’13 set a new school record with 48 digs. The previous record had stood since 2006 when Olivia Minkhorst managed 44 digs in a match.

This weekend, Middlebury will travel to Amherst College where they will take on the Coast Guard Academy, Brandeis University, and Wesfield State. Tuesday, Sept. 28 they take to the road again to play Colby-Sawyer, and the team is looking to return from this flurry of away games with four more wins in the bag.