What a Weekend

This week started with a 3-0 win over WPI on Tuesday. It was also our Senior Night. It might have been our last home game this season, as well as the last time that Kim, Meaghan, Jenna, Itza, and I ever play a game in that gym. It was one to be remembered because of all the love our teammates gave to us, and because of the way we played. We didn’t think at all, we just played volleyball. For our team, that is when we play the best and that is what makes us unstoppable.

This weekend we had a tough lineup of three NESCAC teams at the Volleyball Hall of Fame Invitational. We played Bowdoin on Friday night, and it may have been one of the best matches we have played. Bowdoin was recently ranked ahead of us in the New England poll, and to beat them in three sets was a big statement. The fire our team had during that match was uncontrollable and we weren’t going to stop until we came out on top.

Unfortunately, the next day we learned what happens to us when we do think too much. We lost to Tufts in four sets. Our mental game took control of us and we didn’t execute the way we should have. However, we handled it the way we handled losing to Wellesley; we talked about it and moved on. We moved on by beating Middlebury in four sets in a very competitive match. This was huge for us because just the night before Middlebury had beaten Wellesley in four sets.

Overall, it was a very important weekend for us and, despite our loss, we played Springfield College Volleyball and made a big statement in the New England Region. This team loves a challenge and when we face one, we fight. I believe that now we have enough experience of adversity under our belt to stay grounded and continue to improve everyday to get better and achieve our goals. With a record of 27-2 there is little to be disappointed with, and we especially have a better understanding of what it feels like to lose and none of us ever want to feel that way again.

Before this weekend’s tournament I was watching the movie Secretariat, which is about the greatest race horse of all time. He was a horse that nobody expected to win because he was too young, too inexperienced, and too unbalanced. He had the speed but no one believed he had the stamina. He went on to win nearly every race he ran, and when he lost his second race there was a quote said by an actor that really stuck with me. “One loss is okay, but two is non-performance.”

I believe this to be true and it made a lot of sense after this weekend. This horse then went on to win the Triple Crown, set two race records that still stand today, and is considered one of the best EVER.

I kept on thinking about our team while watching this movie. People thought we were too young, too inexperienced, and too unbalanced. People thought we had the talent to win, but that it would never last. I’m not so sure that we’ll be the greatest volleyball team to ever have lived, but I’m pretty sure that for the remainder of this season we are going to prove to a lot of people that our passion for success will overcome any flaws we may have.