Courtesy of Brian Beard

This past weekend, the women’s volleyball team ventured down to New Jersey and New York to play three games against non-conference teams over the course of two days.

The Polar Bears started off with a 3–1 loss against the Stevens Institute of Technology (5–1) but quickly bounced back to secure a 3-0 win against Manhattanville University (3–5). Finally, the team headed over to New York University (NYU) (6–1) on Sunday morning and defeated the third-ranked Division III team in the nation with a final score of 3–2.

Starting on Saturday morning, the team faced off against Stevens for its first game of the season. While the end result was not what the Polar Bears were looking for, the beginning of the game proved promising to Joy Liu ’25.

“The first two sets went well. We were testing new plays, trying to work out the kinks and being a little bit more creative with what we were doing on the court,” Liu said.

Another positive aspect of the game was the level of communication. Having only practiced together for a short time, the Stevens game allowed for communication between players to flourish. Skye LaMendola ’27, recipient of Bowdoin Athletics’ 2024 Most Outstanding First-Year Female Athlete award, felt that the team grew in a way that helped set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

“I feel there were definitely some really good aspects of the game; we were working through communication and working together in a game-like scenario for the first time as a team,” LaMendola said.

Bowdoin lost the first two sets but came together for a 25–15 win in the third set. Finally, Stevens sealed its victory in the fourth set.

However, the Polar Bears kept frustration and disappointment at bay before they headed to the second game of the day against Manhattanville University.

“I feel like energy was hungry—we knew we could have probably pulled out and taken the win,” LaMendola said. “We wanted to prove that we are capable of winning and that we have all the components we need to be an incredible team.”

After the Stevens game, the team quickly readjusted and pulled out its first win of the season against Manhattanville by winning three sets in a row.

“First game jitters were out of the way, so no one was as nervous as you would be in your first collegiate play or first game of the season,” LaMendola said.

On Sunday, the team headed into its final game of the weekend against New York University. Maya White ’25 knew the stakes of the game but kept a clear mind going in.

“They went to the Final Four last year, and they were ranked third in the nation,” White said.  “So honestly, I didn’t really have any expectations going into it, but I knew that it was going to be a challenge for us.”

Liu felt excitement headed into such a competitive game, eager to make a name for the Bears and prove what kind of team they are. Once the game got started, the team took its two weeks of preseason training to the court.

“Knowing that we were about to put up a tough opponent, it didn’t bother us. It actually motivated us even more to produce the results that we wanted,” Liu said. “We were playing so well. It looked like NYU was all over the place, but we were able to be strategic. We were really controlling the pace of the game, and I think that’s what gave us the upper hand.”

One thing many players emphasized was Head Coach Erin Cady’s goal to focus inwards on the team and its plays rather than get distracted by opponents’ moves.

“Just sticking to the way we play volleyball, and not really necessarily worrying about what NYU is doing but just controlling what we can control,” White said.

The game dragged out for longer than both of the prior games Bowdoin played over the weekend. The Polar Bears took the lead in the first set and tied it up in the fourth set. Finally, the Polar Bears triumphed with a 15–13 win in the fifth and final set.

On Wednesday, after a long weekend in the mid-atlantic, the Polar Bears played their home opener against University of Southern Maine—dominating with a 3–0 final score. But the team is not stopping here, according to White.

“It’s easy to get complacent once you beat a really great team like NYU, but I think using this opportunity to keep improving and to show people who we are as a team,” White said.

However, Liu also recognizes the amazing energy and skills of her fellow team members after such an exciting weekend.

“I think it’s one of the reasons why we were able to win,” Liu said. “When we have so many amazing, smart girls on our team all thinking at the same time, all together, we’re bound to be amazing.”