Courtesy of Brian Beard

Finishing the regular season on a high, the volleyball team (14–9; 6–4 NESCAC) beat both Connecticut College (Conn.) (12–10; 3–7 NESCAC) and Trinity College (12-11; 2-8 NESCAC) in straight sets. The wins were crucial in setting up the seeding for the NESCAC tournament, in which the team earned the fifth seed.

Outside hitter Zoe Ryu ’29 attributed the success of both matches to the team’s consistent play, which has been a key focus in practices throughout the season. Additionally, Ryu emphasized the importance of scouting teams prior to matches.

“We use scouts to know what an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses are on the court and how we can use those to score against them,” Ryu wrote in an email to the Orient. “We had different plans on defense for both teams that we would put together in practices leading up to the games, and it definitely paid off against both teams.”

The Polar Bears won four of their six sets against Conn. and Trinity by five points or more. While it may seem easy to get complacent when taking a commanding lead, Ryu discussed how playing with full effort to the very end was a focus for the matches.

“The best way to respect an opponent is to play as hard as we can against them, and that doesn’t change throughout a set no matter what the score is or how much we are winning by,” Ryu wrote. “We know to stay focused even in moments when we are up by a large margin because every team in the NESCAC has it in them to fight back for a chance to win.”

The win against Conn. last Friday boosted the team’s confidence going into the match against Trinity the next day, where the players focused on consistent play and “playing Bowdoin volleyball.”

Skye LaMendola ’27 felt proud of the team’s ability to perform under pressure, especially when seedings for the NESCAC tournament were dependent on the matches against Conn. and Trinity.

“We’ve proven to ourselves again that we can adapt and perform at the necessary level to achieve our goals, and it’s nice to have that knowledge going into playoffs,” LaMendola wrote in an email to the Orient.

The Polar Bears earned the fifth seed in the NESCAC tournament and will face the fourth-seeded Tufts University Jumbos (19–5; 7–3 NESCAC) in the first round. LaMendola believes that the game will be a competitive matchup, but the team is well prepared to fight for a win.

“We will be focusing on adapting to their specific play style so as to best set us up for success,” LaMendola wrote. “They have a unique offense that is right side and middle dominant, so we have been spending a lot of time watching film and familiarizing ourselves with their tendencies and practicing defenses that will counter their strengths well.”

Volleyball in the NESCAC is competitive up and down the board, and LaMendola noted she and the team are ready for anything.

“We will definitely be bringing an energy of humility. We don’t want to underestimate the opponent or overestimate ourselves, especially in a new environment,” LaMendola wrote. “The NESCAC is so unpredictable. Any team can beat any team at any time, so we are going to focus on getting the job done and playing a game we can be proud of.”

While technically the underdog in the match against Tufts, the team has  pride going into the match, as the last regular season matchup between the two teams ended with a 3–1 win in favor of the Polar Bears. LaMendola has confidence in the team, and believes that it has not reached its peak yet.

“I believe we can win the whole [NESCAC tournament],” LaMendola wrote. “We absolutely have the individual talent to go the whole way, even with the injuries some of our players are limited by or playing through. I think if we play as a team and trust each other, Bowdoin volleyball can definitely bring home a championship.”

The Polar Bears will face Tufts on the road tomorrow at 7 p.m.