By Matt Gabalawi
“Fast-paced. Confident. Dominant.” Coach Amy Bergin enumerated her team’s approach going into an NCAA Regional first-round showdown at Juniata College against the Ospreys of Richard Stockton College. The Fords, a Centennial Conference powerhouse this decade, looked to reproduce that success in the NCAA tournament. Three sets and 41 kills later, the Fords fulfilled Bergin’s predictions.
During practice on Wednesday Bergin had called the Ospreys “young and unpredictable” based on the two sets they took from the Fords in an entertaining match on September 19. The Fords’ defense responded accordingly, conceding only 22 kills and posting five blocks. Middle hitter Olivia Coburn-Flynn ‘13 led the way with three blocks.
“I am really looking forward to playing this weekend,” team captain and outside hitter Rebecca Salvo ‘10 said before the match. “Our team is prepared mentally and physically for this challenge, and we have high expectations. I think we are peaking at the right time.”
Salvo channeled her optimism into a team best 12 kills and 12 digs. Fellow captains Rachel Salvo ‘10, an outside hitter, and Kate Comey ‘12, a setter, supplied eight kills and digs and thirty assists, respectively. All in all, the captains performed excellently, inspiring their teammates to follow their lead.
Indeed, the match began with the Fords winning eight out of the first nine points, the captains providing most of the kills and service aces. The team as a whole capitalized on Stockton’s errors and prevented the Ospreys from establishing an offensive rhythm.
The second set saw the Fords diversifying their offensive firepower. Coburn-Flynn, outside hitter Kelsey Cantwell ‘11, and outside hitter Franny Glick ‘11 joined the captains in providing kills. The entire team showed character when the Ospreys finally began to assert an offensive presence. The Fords responded to a 6-1 Osprey run with a 10-1 run of their own. The second set concluded decisively and fittingly with a kill from Rachel Salvo.
“We are at a pivotal point in the season,” Rebecca Salvo had said on the Wednesday before the game. “It’s now or never, and I know our team is ready to face the challenges ahead of us at Juniata this week.”
That spirit permeated through the ranks as the Fords took the court in the third set, determined to finalize their victory. By now, the Ospreys had adapted sufficiently to the Fords’ game and were able to stave off any long runs. Nevertheless, kills from Cantwell and middle hitter Jenine Abassi ‘12 counteracted a strong start by the Ospreys and prevented any long runs on their part. The scorelines of 25-12, 25-13 and 25-18 suggested that the match was growing tighter in each set, but the Fords were rewarded for their tenacity with four consecutive points to end the match.
In the end, the players, the coaches, and 126 fans had witnessed a strong performance as Haverford displayed the dominance and gutsiness Coach Bergin had predicted. At Juniata the Fords proved that their 30-3 regular season record had been no aberration and that they had reason to look forward to their match-up with Eastern University the next night.
That match-up yielded more solid defense from the Fords but unfortunately no victory. Stars of the game included Cantwell, with 12 kills and 12 assists, and Rebecca Salvo, with 16 digs. Eastern outside hitter Courtney Reinhold, with 15 kills and 16 digs, proved to be a thorn in the Fords’ side. The Fords were swept in three sets but managed to hold 18-16 and 18-11 leads in the first and third sets, respectively.
The Fords concluded their season empty-handed but optimistic. They had proven their worth in at least a part of the NCAA competition and recorded the second-highest winning percentage in team history. The team looks forward to retaining their Centennial Conference crown and advancing further in tournament play next year.
This article is © 2008 The Bi-College News. The material on this page is free for personal or educational use, but may not be reproduced, reprinted, republished, redistributed, or otherwise transmitted to a third party without the express written permission of The Bi-College News, 370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041.
Editor's note: Articles that appear in the Last Word section are works of satire.
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