On Nov. 4 in Brunswick, Maine, the Connecticut College women’s volleyball team lost to Middlebury College, three sets to none, in the quarterfinals of the NESCAC Tournament, hosted by Bowdoin College. Middlebury entered the tournament ranked #3 in the conference, and the Camels #6.
Head coach Joshua Edmed, now in his tenth season, has brought the team to the NESCAC Tournament for the past seven consecutive years, making women’s volleyball one of Conn’s most talented and highest-performing varsity sports teams. Of his team’s performance in Brunswick, Coach Edmed comments, “[The] match versus Middlebury was a difficult one for us. We were not as sharp as we were at times throughout the season and Middlebury played at a very high level. They did a good job of keeping us out of system, which made it very difficult for our offense to get into a productive flow. On the other side, we were unable to break down their passing which kept them in system for most of the match.”
Co-captain Amy Newman ’12 adds, “Middlebury is a great team and [is] continuing to play in [the] NCAA Tournament. The 2010 NESCAC Player of the Year, Jane Handel, really stepped it up after missing a significant portion of her senior season due to injury, and heightened their level of play. We remained competitive throughout the match, but could not hold up against their athleticism and energy on the court.”
Newman finished what the Bowdoin Athletics website dubbed, a “decorated career,” with sixteen kills and nine digs in the match versus Middlebury. Co-captain Ally Terlizzi ’12 had eleven digs and Katie Ketcham ’13 set up her teammates with an impressive twenty-eight assists.
Coach Joshua Edmed led the team to an impressive 6-4 NESCAC record
When Coach Edmed was asked if there were any significant adversities the team faced in their journey to the NESCAC Tournament this year, he answered, “Our biggest priority each year is to prepare everyone on the team to understand the importance of putting the team ahead of all other priorities, outside of their academic pursuits. This is a critical concept for everyone to believe in and act upon. The more we make decisions in accordance with this philosophy, the more our team comes together.” Looking forward to next year’s season, he added, “And the more our team comes together, the more opportunities for success will [be] presented to us.” He went on to express his high confidence in terms of next season’s team and their ability to be extremely competitive once again within the NESCAC.
Despite that fact that her Connecticut College volleyball career has come to an end, Newman remarked, “We’ve made seven consecutive post-season appearances and I’m confident in saying that streak will not be ending soon.”
This is a team of a competitive nature with an impressive record, but perhaps most importantly, consistent high-energy performance. The energy level is seen not simply through the skill put forth by the team on the court, but through the strong dynamic between the players amidst their plays, huddles, and battle cries. It is reciprocated in the stands as well – volleyball consistently manages to draw in large, enthusiastic crowds to their exciting matches.
The team finished their season with an overall record of 18-9, and a NESCAC record of 6-4. Despite being cut short in championship weekend, the Camel volleyball team had a successful season. They provided fans with energetic action in Luce Fieldhouse all season long, and will continue to build upon the program’s in the last few years. •
