Brian Beard

This weekend, the volleyball team (3–2; 0–0 NESCAC) traveled to upstate New York for the Red Dragon tournament. Playing non-conference teams SUNY Cortland (4–2), Hartwick College (3–4) and the University of Rochester (0–6), the Polar Bears won two out of three matches in the weekend tournament and then defeated the University of Southern Maine (USM) (1–6) on Wednesday night.

Coming off a close loss at home against Endicott College (3–2) in the season opener, the players were eager and ready for a chance to turn it around in New York.

“I was optimistic, I was ready to go out and play and I was really excited to see what we can do once we have more experience in our belt,” outside hitter Skye LaMendola ’27 said. “I was hungry, competitive, excited.”

While the team lost to Cortland in five games on Saturday, the players were quick to bounce back in their match against Hartwick. Bowdoin won in three games, 25–19, 25–11 and 25–19, for their first victory of the season.

LaMendola, who notched 17 kills against Hartwick, emphasized how the team prioritized adaptability between matches.

“In the Cortland game, they had a couple of outside [hitters] that were hitting particular spots that didn’t work within our systems. So just being able to identify in game what systems are working versus what isn’t working, and then being able to make the change,” LaMendola said. “So, just emphasizing adaptability, especially with defense.”

On Sunday, Bowdoin delivered another strong performance in the final match of the tournament, sweeping Rochester with 29–27, 25–23 and 25–15 victories. The Polar Bears demonstrated their tenacity in the first set, rallying from a 24–21 deficit to seal a comeback win with a block by middle blocker Hannah Woolley ’28.

Woolley, who also had a pivotal block at the end of the second set, elaborated on how the team’s defensive efforts helped put them in the position to win.

“Falling back on our defensive systems was something that we focused on after the loss on Wednesday. We really worked on that a lot, and I think it came to fruition this weekend,” Woolley said. “Just everyone being in the spot that they’re supposed to be in on defense and making those moves and then just all-out effort, all the time.”

The Polar Bears stayed hot on Wednesday, coasting to another victory in straight sets. Against USM, the team pulled off a comeback during the first set to win it 25–21 before easily taking the next two sets by scores of 25–14 and 25–12.

As the season continues, the players continue to focus on positional flexibility and approaching each match as a team effort. This has become especially important for the Polar Bears this season, with the team navigating an injury to setter Cameron Shelly ’27 that has forced positional changes for several players.

“I think for us, everybody has just kind of accepted that it’s not going to look perfect, and we all have to step into roles that we may not be used to being in. And I think everybody’s taken it really well,” Woolley said. “And just knowing that you may be in a position that you don’t normally play or be in a role that you don’t necessarily love, I think everybody has taken that and really run with it, and it’s just a whole team effort right now.”

Head Coach Erin Cady praised the team’s continuous growth and adaptability in an email to the Orient.

“[The volleyball team] is off to a great start. I am very impressed with how our team is adjusting to changes and continuously striving to improve,” Cady wrote. “The next stretch of matches gives us three non-conference opponents to help us prepare for the opening of NESCAC play.”

The team will travel southward today to play the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (5–3). After several more non-conference matches, the Polar Bears will begin NESCAC play September 20 at Wesleyan University (3–0, 0–0 NESCAC).