The volleyball team ended conference play with a 3-2 loss to Williams. The Polar Bears fell to 14-8 overall and finished their conference season with a program best 7-3 record last Saturday. The team can place no worse than fourth in final NESCAC standings. Williams improved to 16-7 for the season and 6-2 in the NESCAC.
The team began with a 2-1 lead but squandered its advantage in the face of a ferocious Williams rally. Stephanie Drumwright '11 racked up 11 kills, two aces and four blocks while Kristin Hanczor '12 and Melissa Haskell '13 paced the team's attack with 13 kills apiece. Taylor Vail '14 notched 27 digs and Sophia Cornew '14 ended up with 47 assists over the course of the match.
First year Ellie Brennan was optimistic about the team's prospects as it enters the final stages of the season.
"I think our team learned a lot this weekend," she said. "Especially against Williams, I feel we really connected as a team and played some of our best matches this season. Although it did not end how we had wanted, I think we now know how well we can play together and that we cannot sit back and let the game win itself."
Before taking on Williams, the the Polar bears defeated the Hamilton Continentals in a 3-1 decision last Friday night. The loss dropped Hamilton to 1-6 in the conference. Luisa LaSalle '14 earned a team high 10 kills and 16 digs while Drumwright, Haskell and Brennan had eight kills each. Jillian Berkman '12 had 21 of the team's 63 digs while Cornew came away with 38 assists.
The team is confident as it reaches the final weeks of its season, but the players realize that there is definitely room for improvement.
"We need to want every point of every game and finish games by playing aggressively, focusing on the basics, and executing smart yet controlled plays," Brennan said. "I am so excited to see our team continue to grow over the next two weeks as we prepare for the NESCAC championships. The best is yet to come."
The Polar Bears next take to the court this weekend at the Hall of Fame Tournament hosted by Smith College and Mt. Holyoke College. Bowdoin will begin its tournament play with a match against Springfield College tonight at 7 p.m. at Smith College.