Here we go.
After splitting a pair of matches against Albany last weekend, the women’s volleyball team is set to start Ivy League play, beginning tonight with Brown (6–6) in Providence. The home-and-home series then moves to New Haven, where Yale (6–5) will host the Bears on Saturday night in John J. Lee Amphitheater.
Despite sweeping Brown in both matches last season, the Elis are prepared to face a different foe in this year’s Bears.
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“They have a really good recruiting class,” head coach Erin Appleman said of Brown. “There are a lot of young, athletic kids playing. They are a completely different team than they were last season.”
Brown’s Kathryn Glickman sparked the Bears to a comeback win in a match against Stony Brook last weekend. With 14 kills and 10 blocks, Glickman secured a victory for the Bears and Ivy League Player of the Week honors.
With help from Bears ace Annika Gliottone, Brown is currently ranked second overall in the conference for service aces, tallying 66 through the season.
“We have been just continuing to work on serve reception,” Appleman said. “It’s something you don’t really have a special defense for. You just have to be a little more intuitive when she comes back to serve — don’t let her get hot.”
Aside from entering the week with a league-best number of assists per set (10.71), Bulldog setter Kendall Polan ’14 was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the second time this season after recording an impressive triple-double last week against Albany. The Elis also lead the conference in team hitting percentage (.247), assists per set (13.69) and kills per set (14.46).
The Bulldogs’ biggest goal every season is to claim the Ivy League title, and while that journey starts tonight, the team will seek to improve in every aspect along the way, Appleman said.
“We always talk about getting better everyday,” Appleman said. “I think we’ve done a really good job of improving so far through the season. We just have to go out and battle every match.”
Play begins in Providence at 7 p.m. Saturday’s match starts at 7 p.m. in John J. Amphitheater.